Osher Günsberg Opens Up About Hearing Impairment
As part of Hearing Awareness Week, Osher Günsberg has outlined his ongoing struggles with hearing impairment in an emotional interview with The Sydney Morning Herald. The Bachelor host, radio presenter, and all around good guy is sharing his experiences as part of his new role as ambassador for The Shepherd Centre, a children’s charity that supports kids and families affected by hearing loss.
Living life in the public eye has made dealing with the condition even more difficult for Günsberg, who has been wearing hearing aids in both ears for years.
"People can think you are ignoring them or being rude when that’s not the case," Günsberg told SHM. "I simply can’t hear you."
At 43 years of age, Osher has been dealing with his hearing loss since his teenage years, incurring damage during his time working in and around music gigs. In the emotional interview, he also outlines his battles with ongoing tinnitus (a constant ringing in the ears that never subsides).
The openness in which Günsberg discusses the issue is a welcome conversation ahead of Hearing Awareness Week. According to government statistics, one in six Australians suffers with some form of hearing loss, and that figure is expected to increase to one in four by 2050.
Left untreated, hearing loss can lead to a wide variety of health issues, including early onset of dementia and negative mental health impacts.
Osher has been a huge advocate for men’s health promotion, recently revealing his ongoing battles with several mental health issues such as obsessive compulsive disorder and social anxiety order. With a memoir expected for late 2018, Osher seems intent on sharing his experiences, and putting his celebrity status behind some great initiatives.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
