A year ago I got a hearing aid. I never realised how much my ears were struggling until I got a hearing test & at 30 years old it’s not something I thought I’d need. It took me a while to get used to it, I was pretty embarrassed & psychologically it was hard to accept. I don’t know anyone my age who wears an aid nor have I seen it talked about on here so it felt quite isolating & foreign. But I know for sure I’m not the only one who struggles with their hearing, we take so many steps to look after our eyes & teeth but hearing tests are not the norm when they should be. Tests are actually free in most clinics & quick to do. I’ve struggled with tinnitus since I was a teen & it’s helped with that a lot as well. There’s a huge stigma around hearing aids & I wish there wasn’t, hearing loss can occur at any age for various reasons & it’s not just due to old age. They are expensive though, which is a huge barrier for many & there’s not enough transparency around the process & pricing which is frustrating & I hope that changes. My hope in sharing this is to try break the stigma & empower you to get a test if you’ve been struggling too. I honestly wish I’d got one sooner. I don’t like that I need a hearing aid, I don’t like wearing it & will have to wear one for the rest of my life. But looking back, my hearing loss would bring me so much daily anxiety & I realised how many sounds I was missing out on. My hearing aid has made such a positive difference to my every day & brings me freedom & confidence, which is what I focus on. And it’s just something else that makes me who I am I guess & those things should be embraced, whatever they are 🫶🏼 - wearing my @truecurateddesigns Mayari collection 🌙