Despite how damaged one’s auditory system may be, it’s difficult to recognize that a person is hard of hearing by simply looking at them. That’s why hearing loss is considered a common invisible disability, and often times, the condition is greatly misunderstood by others.

For example, if you’re hard of hearing and ask people to repeat themselves for the third or fourth time in a row, they’re more likely to be frustrated with you rather than empathetic. This reaction is likely because if people are unable to physically see your hearing loss, they’re less likely to conceptualize the difficulties you’re experiencing.
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