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I have a congenital (present at birth) hearing impairment, and yep I've been taunted, belittled, pitied, and discriminated against my whole life for it. At 67, it's even worse, hearing impairment in the elderly is an acceptable target for humor.
That said, I long ago learned to let it roll off my back. Truth told, it's nice to not to have to hear the rabble.
To those who on this thread have criticized people for not owning up to being impaired and not readily adjusting to hearing aids, all I have to say is that you haven't the faintest idea about how crushing and isolating hearing loss can be and how hard it is to adjust to wearing aids. They're expensive and uncomfortable and they don't even come close to mimicking natural hearing.
I wear aids to help me to try to cope with the world. But sadly there are no aids for clueless ignorance and prejudice.
I mainly am referring to physical disabilities such as seeing, hearing, walking etc. Depression, drug abuse, mental health etc these disabilities are a different topic. This post isn't to discount them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anitak1982
I am referring to just this post as to why I am making a difference. The others belong in a different post. Feel free to make a different post. I am talking about how people react to people who have a hearing loss. They get "MAD" at you, acting like your ignoring them on purpose.
These make me mad. Why would a hearing disability be less tolerated than a mental illness disability? Your post talks about the least tolerated disability. Well, I disagree that the least-tolerated disability is hearing loss.
You just aren't that special.
And yes, it's very irritating to deal with someone with a hearing loss as opposed to a vision loss, because of the lack of the ability to communicate.
And honestly, as a senior, I am amazed at the number of seniors who won't spring for a hearing aid, but they have new cars, smoke cigarettes, gamble at the local casinos, drink at the local bars, etc. - and get offended because you get frustrated because they haven't bought a hearing aid. That's a disability that can be addressed, so unless you have complete hearing loss, I don't feel sorry for you.
But, if you think people are less tolerant of hearing loss than mental illness, you're wrong. People with hearing loss can buy a hearing aid. People with mental illness can't buy a new brain.
And I find it offensive that you back-pedal and tell people they should start another thread, if they don't agree with your topic heading that says hearing loss is the least-tolerated disability.
What YOU should have done, was make this thread only about hearing loss. You didn't, so you should expect some disagreement.
I find at age 52, I get some strange looks when I pull into the handicapped spot with my handicapped plates, UNTIL I get out toting my cane.
I think ANY disability get looked at with askance, it having to do more with the "privileges" one gets in "consideration"
ANy disability can be overcome in some manner USUALLY...with surgery, loss of weight, hearing aids, gasses, cane, etc.
My mother was made a quadruplegic by MS, and often got PITY and "aw, you poor thing" from standers-by, NOT what she wanted, trust me. It used to annoy her when people would bend or stoop down to her eye level, as though she couldn't look up?
I don't LIKE the added "attention" i get either just having a cane, and know most handicapped people just want to be treated equally, so i will offer to open a door, but if they don't want help, I leave them alone. And I often find using a handicapped space....so close to the front of the store where people come/go, NOT always to be easy to use.
Ah well, Id rather have to NOT use a cane, but alas, I do need it, even around my house.
I had another thought about this, especially in the context of all the recent comments about invisible disabilities:
Quote:
Originally Posted by bUU
Another thought just came to mind... as society has become increasingly Internet based (yes, Internet based), those with vision impairments have been progressively less tolerated. Many things that we used to be able to do on the telephone now have been redesigned so that they are relatively easy to do online but relatively difficult to do some other way. For critical things, like health care, there are laws that protect those with vision impairments. For commercial enterprises, there is the profit motive that subjects those with vision impairments to the vagaries of how valuable the commercial enterprise considers the patronage of those with vision impairments. (Status as a public accommodation can be used to force commercial enterprises to improve, but often that's address with seriously inadequate "separate but equal" avenues.) And for anything else, it's hit or miss. Visit this website:
It outlines the difficulties anyone trying to access and participate in this discussion may encounter. The search capability seems to be especially difficult to use by those with vision impairments.
Vision impairment is an invisible disability, with regard to the matters I mentioned above, i.e., the Internet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Windwalker2
The thread title has nothing to do with hearing loss, so it seems we have gotten into "which disability is the worst". Any invisible disability is worse because too many people think disability means only a visible mobility impairment.
And apparently, even among invisible disabilities, some folks insist that the "worst" is the one that they personally care the most about, regardless of what others share with the thread.
These make me mad. Why would a hearing disability be less tolerated than a mental illness disability? Your post talks about the least tolerated disability. Well, I disagree that the least-tolerated disability is hearing loss.
You just aren't that special.
And yes, it's very irritating to deal with someone with a hearing loss as opposed to a vision loss, because of the lack of the ability to communicate.
And honestly, as a senior, I am amazed at the number of seniors who won't spring for a hearing aid, but they have new cars, smoke cigarettes, gamble at the local casinos, drink at the local bars, etc. - and get offended because you get frustrated because they haven't bought a hearing aid. That's a disability that can be addressed, so unless you have complete hearing loss, I don't feel sorry for you.
But, if you think people are less tolerant of hearing loss than mental illness, you're wrong. People with hearing loss can buy a hearing aid. People with mental illness can't buy a new brain.
And I find it offensive that you back-pedal and tell people they should start another thread, if they don't agree with your topic heading that says hearing loss is the least-tolerated disability.
What YOU should have done, was make this thread only about hearing loss. You didn't, so you should expect some disagreement.
If I could have changed the title I would have. Funny how that I posted this exact post on facebook as I copied and pasted it and have had many agree with me and didn't try to rabbit trail me as if I were discounting other disabilities. I never said I was special. I never attacked anyone either. If I could delete this thread I would, but I have had quite a few messages that they liked my post and if the kind people understand I wasn't putting disabilities such as mental illness down but just sharing how that this invisible situation makes people angry. So be it.
I have a birth defect that is missing a chromosome, I have many physical limitations from it. I am a moderator of 3 boards for this condition and have helped hundreds from all around the world. Hearing loss is another one of the aspects that come from this condition that effects the bones. I was just sharing how intolerant people can be that do not hear you when you speak and take it personally. If you want to know privately what condition it is feel free to PM me but I am not saying what it is here.
I think difficulty speaking is a less tolerated disability. People may get mad at the hard of hearing, but they assume someone with difficulty speaking is unintelligent. I cannot imagine the frustration.
I'm really sorry to hear the stories on this thread. I'm sorry people treat you that way. I'm glad I was taught when very young how to talk to someone with a hearing disability. You've reminded me to teach my children.
Hearing loss is the least tolerated disability? Really?
My father has mental illness, paralysis from a spinal cord injury, a bunch of other medical problems.... and... oh yeah.... hearing loss. We don't even count hearing loss as a problem. He needs hearing aids.
But everything is relative, you see.
Most people just have no idea..... no idea..... how lucky they are. I'd like to put every person in a wheelchair for a week, with neurologically injured bladder and bowel system, with neuropathic pain and paralysis. Then see how they treat the world when they get out of it.
The people who treat my father the worst, and who are the rudest about his disabilities, are his peers. People his own age and older. They stare, they make comments, they shake their heads, they ask inappropriate questions.... they really stink.
And because so many of them have hearing loss (!), they say all of these comments "loudly". Thanks stranger!
From what I imagine was just a poor choice of title by a sincere OP wanting to discuss problems related to hearing loss, this thread has devolved into something really ugly.
From what I imagine was just a poor choice of title by a sincere OP wanting to discuss problems related to hearing loss, this thread has devolved into something really ugly.
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