How to accept being deaf

KS1Meg

KS1Meg

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Just someone who is struggling so much with accepting myself as being deaf lately. So my first question that i've been meaning to ask for a long while to all is,

Do you accept yourself, if so, how?
 
Isn't there a thread in here about grieving hearing loss, can't remember where I saw that :hmm: out of all you shared that's a biggie for some
 
Yes there is one called adjusting to late onset deafness or similar title.

Old Analog said:
Isn't there a thread in here about grieving hearing loss, can't remember where I saw that :hmm: out of all you shared that's a biggie for some
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Oh! Yes under Our World Our culture I like that thread took a long time but read all
 
Deaf-Dating said:
This will be long, but reading everything can really help...

Losing your hearing can be devastating. You may now struggle with everyday communication, have difficulty performing your job, or feel isolated from others. You may be forced to adopt many new behaviors into your life. You may need to learn sign language, speech-reading, and adapt your house with assistive devices. While being deaf has its challenges, it is also something that can be managed with communication skills, technology, and a positive, patient attitude.

First, learn a sign language. While it can take up to a year to learn basic signs and feel comfortable communicating in sign language, the payoff of being able to communicate face-to-face with other deaf people will greatly enhance your quality of life. Also, learn speech-reading(lip-reading) and explain to family and friends how they can better communicate with you. For example, they should get your attention before speaking to you, perhaps by waving or a tap on the shoulder.

Find new ways to do favorite things. Your hearing loss does not mean that you need to give up all of your favorite things. With some creative thinking, you may find that you can still find fulfillment and enjoyment from favorite hobbies and pastimes. For example, you can watch captioned movies, or find local sports leagues that cater to deaf players through your community park district.

Use assistive devices. There are many different assistive products that have been developed to help people with hearing problems hear better, or, for those with total deafness, communicate and be alerted. You can find one that best suits you.

Get support at work or school. If you are an American, for example, you are entitled to support services and/or reasonable accommodations for you to be able to perform successfully. This is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Different countries may have different laws in place to provide services for the deaf.

Discover resources and organizations available to the Deaf. You are not alone. There are many resources available that can help your quality of life and provide support. You could ask other Deaf people for suggestions for local services, check with your doctor, ask your local hospital for suggestions, ask other classmates or an instructor in a sign language class. Connect with your local community health department or resource center to learn about local deaf resources and what services may be available to you.

Allow yourself to grieve the loss of your hearing. It is okay, and normal, to feel a sense of grief around your hearing loss. You are losing a way to interact with the world, and you will also face greater challenges than you did before. Understand that grief is a process to be worked through. Although it is tempting to numb your feelings of sadness through alcohol, food, or drugs, you will not achieve any lasting healing effects. It is best to work through the sad, angry feelings, even though they hurt. You may wish to spend some time writing about your hearing loss, or getting in touch with a close friend and sharing your feelings. You may find it useful to talk to someone about how you are feeling. If you are not yet competent in sign language, you may wish to look for a counselor to do an online counseling session with you. Think of some healthy things you can do to take care of yourself during this time. For example, you could take a walk, meditate, write a journal or enjoy favorite hobbies that you don’t need to modify, like reading a book, crossword, puzzles, or sewing.

Meet other Deaf people. Make Deaf friends who can support you and offer helpful suggestions. If you are new to sign language, ask the Deaf person other ways you could communicate with each other.

Find an online community. There are many websites devoted to deaf and hard-of-hearing support and socialization. This website is one of them. These websites aren’t just for talking about being deaf. You can find current events discussions, dating websites, and discussion boards for hobbies and interests.

Build your self esteem. If going deaf has affected your self-esteem, then trying some strategies to improve your self-esteem may help you. This can take time and patience, but the end result could improve your quality of life. Working with a therapist is a good way to work on your self-esteem if it’s difficult to do it on your own. If you tend to get frustrated easily, then working on ways to calm yourself down can also help. There are lots of ways that you can calm yourself down. You can use a relaxation technique like deep breathing or meditation, or you can just do something that is enjoyable to you, like going for a walk.

Develop problem solving skills. Having good problem solving skills can also help you to deal with difficult situations that you might encounter. Try to work on developing a strategy for solving your problems. You could write out the problem in detail, make a list of the solutions available to you, analyze each solution to determine the best one, choose an option and carry out your plan.

That’s it! Thank you for reading this far, I wish you the very best of life! If you’re single and having difficulty in finding a deaf partner, I can help you find one. Cheers! :)


Resource: Wikihow: How to cope with being deaf.
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Oh !! I didn't see this till now but thank you for the long helpful text. :)
 
KS1Meg said:
Just someone who is struggling so much with accepting myself as being deaf lately. So my first question that i've been meaning to ask for a long while to all is,

Do you accept yourself, if so, how?
Click to expand...
I don't like it and despite it being a daily struggle I accept it. Texting, Captioned I Phone, Email, Written Notes all help
 
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I don’t really accept it, because it’s not something that most people who I interact with accept, but maybe I eventually will lol
 
Hi! I'm not Deaf but I had some severe hearing loss about a year ago. I am a Deaf studies student now. I don't know your experience with ASL but if you would like to learn/talk, I'm here :)
 
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