Beverly Hills Hearing Center was founded in 1983 by Bonnie Baehr. Prior to that, Dr. Baehr practiced at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles as a staff audiologist for seven years. She was involved with diagnostic testing, hearing aid evaluations, research and rehabilitation. Dr. Baehr did her clinical fellowship training at the Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic in downtown Los Angeles. She is a member of the American Academy of Audiology, American Speech Language and Hearing Association, California Academy of Audiology and Academy of Doctors of Audiology.
Latest posts by Bonnie L. Baehr, Au.D. (see all)
- How Hearing Loss Affects Communication in Relationships - November 6, 2025
- The Importance of Early Hearing Loss Detection in Children - October 27, 2025
- The Connection Between Hearing Health and Overall Well-Being - October 15, 2025
Many people fail to realize that good hearing is more than just listening. It’s understanding what is being said and engaging in conversations rather than just hearing them. Hearing affects how people feel and think, and even impacts how we connect with others. Mental health, social interactions, and connection with the world at large are all affected by hearing, making hearing care essential at every age.
Hearing and Mental Health
It isn’t hard to understand how hearing helps us to engage with the world. It’s one of the main ways we take in information. Hearing loss can make it difficult to enjoy music, engage in conversations with others, and watch movies and television. This can lead to frustration and stress.
Those individuals with hearing loss have a higher incidence of anxiety and depression. It can create a sense of isolation and a feeling of being cut off from social events and public gatherings. This can lead to them not attending social engagements and not talking to friends and family as much. As a result, they can feel more lonely and isolated, which can create mental health issues.
In contrast, those who take care of their hearing feel more confident and continue to engage in their social networks and have less anxiety and depression. They maintain an active lifestyle and can openly communicate with others.
Hearing and Social Connections
People with good hearing often have stronger relationships than those who are dealing with hearing loss. Whether talking with family, playing games, or working in group situations, communication is key. Those who have hearing loss tend to shy away from those activities because of feeling embarrassed that they aren’t able to hear clearly.
Hearing loss can result in a person missing key parts of conversations and feeling left out. Avoiding social events can make it harder to maintain friendships and feel connected to the world around them.
Strong social connections help people feel supported and understood, which is vital for their emotional health. Addressing hearing health and hearing loss helps people stay socially active and strengthens their relationships.
Hearing and Quality of Life
Hearing is an integral part of our day-to-day lives. It impacts our physical and mental health, as well as our ability to enjoy social interaction, hobbies, and social gatherings.
Individuals with good hearing are far more likely to engage in conversations, group activities, and participate in their communities than those with poor hearing. All of those things add up to a positive quality of life.
It’s important to address hearing problems before they worsen. Hearing problems impact personal safety, school, and work. When suffering from hearing problems, people might not hear an alarm, a siren, important instructions, or guidance. This can oftentimes lead to confusion, accidents, or injury. That’s why it’s essential to see a hearing health professional when signs of hearing loss are noticed. Treating hearing loss early helps to minimize those issues and can positively affect a person’s quality of life.
Taking Care of Hearing Health
While there are many ways to protect your hearing, the most common are listed below:
- Protect your ears from loud noise. When in environments where there are loud sounds like concerts, machinery, or fireworks, consider wearing earplugs or headphones.
- Turn down the volume. When listening to headphones, keep the volume at a low level.
- Take breaks from noise. Take timeouts whenever in a noisy place and go to a quiet place to give your ears a break.
- Avoid putting objects in your ears. Putting anything in your ears can cause damage. This includes cotton swabs.
- Get your hearing checked. Regularly seeing a hearing health professional can help detect hearing loss issues early.
- Use hearing aids if needed. Modern hearing aids provide help for many people who have hearing loss. They are small, comfortable, and easy to use.
Conclusion
Hearing health is a significant part of a person’s overall well-being. With healthy hearing, people can enjoy life and stay connected with their social networks. When hearing issues aren’t addressed, they can lead to stress and loneliness, resulting in a lower quality of life.
People who take care of their hearing have improved relationships and mental health. Healthy hearing equates to living well.