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The month of May provides a deeper meaning than rain showers and spring blossoms. May is Better Hearing & Speech Month (BHSM) which gives an opportunity to raise awareness for those who struggle with hearing and speech problems. The first step to preventing hearing loss is to take preventative actions in order to refrain from unidentified hearing loss. This month encourages individuals to get their hearing checked annually to recognize hearing loss in its early stages. Being preventive, proactive and protective over one's hearing can lead to many physical, mental and emotional benefits.
Alongside Better Hearing & Speech Month, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental Health Awareness Month encourages organizations and individuals to practice normalizing mental health. Mental health is continuously stigmatized around the world which is why May raises awareness to support mental wellbeing, health and illnesses. Mental Health Awareness Month encourages individuals to talk, comfort and care about their mental health just as they do for their physical health.
These two annual May celebrations go hand and hand due to the fact that hearing loss may affect an individual's mental health.
Hearing loss can gratefully impact an individual’s quality of life, and put one at greater risk for being diagnosed with anxiety and or depression. The reason being, hearing and speech are the two main ways to communicate and socialize with other individuals. When hearing and speech are lost or limited, feelings of isolation and frustration may occur at a more hazardous level. Some other feelings that an individual may experience are embarrassment, paranoia and uncertainty about a social situation. These feelings may lead one to feel depressed and anxious at a clinical level. Signs of depression and anxiety may include but are not limited to avoiding social interactions, not getting out of bed, isolating oneself, feeling like a burden to others and feeling separated from reality.
This year, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has created the theme of ‘connecting people’. The National Alliance on Mental Illness themed this month, ‘together for mental health’. Both celebrations focus on collaboration in order to raise awareness for hearing loss, speech problems and mental health struggles to better the lives of other individuals.
Ways to help in May —
