This was a pretty interesting read for me because it spent a lot of time talking about an issue I am very passionate about – hearing loss. The WHO documents it as the #1 adverse effect of noise pollution on people. I think it’s an issue a lot of people forget about, especially the younger generations. Older people whose hearing has gotten worse have it happening more because of their age, but younger people are losing their hearing way before they should be.
For example, we have Zedd, one of my favorite EDM DJ’s, has been going deaf because of all the loud shows he plays. I’m pretty sure he lost his hearing in his left ear completely. This wasn’t because of heavy traffic exposure or loud machinery, but because of his job. And no way is he going to give up his livelihood. But nobody really cares; nobody thinks about what losing their hearing really means until it happens to them. One of the impairments described is tinnitus. Some victims have it permanently – that means they hear a screaming or buzzing noise 24/7. It leads to depression and when they can’t stand living like that anymore, suicide. A lot of people around our age are losing their hearing and getting tinnitus because of excessive concerts and listening to loud music (something we are all guilty of).
#5 is, disturbances in mental health, is also something that interested me. It’s something I forgot about. So many people on the autism spectrum suffer from sound sensitivity. One loud or scary noise can ruin their entire day and leave them emotionally traumatized. They’re not the only ones loud noises shake up. I know that when I have a bad day, the sounds of the city just seem to exacerbate it while peace and quiet serves as a comfort. This article did a great job of pointing out how those effects can then go on to hurt our task performance and social behavior.
