There are several reasons why hearing loss may trigger or exacerbate anxiety.
Hearing loss impacts your ability to communicate with others and follow conversations. This might lead to missing important information at work or when socializing. Perhaps you miss signals that someone is about to speak or hasn’t finished yet, which could lead to accidentally interrupting them. Or you might miss a joke that everyone else laughs at. These experiences can leave you feeling left out or unsure and lead to increased social anxiety as well as loneliness and depression.
Some people with hearing loss also experience uncertainty surrounding their condition, leading to worries about whether or not their hearing will continue to get worse and how that might impact their lives, including careers and relationships with their loved ones.
Difficulty hearing can also be disorienting, especially in loud, busy places. This feeling can be exacerbated for people with hearing loss who also experience tinnitus or dizziness, which can be anxiety-inducing symptoms in themselves.