I think I want to stop using my voice. Opinions?

AlleyCat said:
Interesting question.

I have never thought it made me more cool. If anything, more dorky :lol: because my voice doesn't sound totally hearing, but close, I guess.

I just find it a lot quicker (note, I'm not saying "easier") to use my voice when conversing with hearing people.

I guess I am not one bit sorry that I took speech therapy all my school years - I didn't love or hate it, but feel it did me some good.

Still an interesting question :)
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I think I said my meaning wrong. I was wondering if the late deafened thought it made them more cool or more deaf if they quit speaking.
 
Bottesini said:
I think I said my meaning wrong. I was wondering if the late deafened thought it made them more cool or more deaf if they quit speaking.
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For me it wouldn't be about being cool. Infact, it would probably make my (hearing) friendships a bit more difficult. It's merely about not feeling comfortable when I talk and having other medical issues, it's hard for me to talk. I pass out a lot due to not being able to get the air I need which would be another reason to stop if that's what I decide.

Just my opinion though.
 
SilentColors said:
For me it wouldn't be about being cool. Infact, it would probably make my (hearing) friendships a bit more difficult. It's merely about not feeling comfortable when I talk and having other medical issues, it's hard for me to talk. I pass out a lot due to not being able to get the air I need which would be another reason to stop if that's what I decide.

Just my opinion though.
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You pass out? What is the reason you can't be helped to breathe?
 
Bottesini said:
You pass out? What is the reason you can't be helped to breathe?
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I have an autoimmune disease that affects my bones, muscles, and other things like heart, lungs, etc. So I tend to pass out a lot, have seizures, I'm always in chronic pain, so I'm already really tired and I think that's the main reason for the breathing issues. I also have scoliosis that presses into my lungs and that could be another reason. I'm not sure the whole reason for it, it's just a big mix of different medical problems. But that's okay, such is life. :)
 
It may seem like an annoyance to use your voice at times, but at the end of the day, you're most likely to do whatever is easier in any given situation. If it's easier for you to communicate via voice, that's probably what you will end up doing.
 
perhaps you need to not stop talking entirely, but use it wisely if it is costing you so much energy. For example, continue talking with people with whom you already talk, but when ordering from or conversing with strangers, use a pen and paper. Explain early on to new (and old) friendships that talking costs you a severe amount of energy, so some days you may just prefer to write/sign. With these other medical conditions, i suppose you have heard of many energy conservation techniques? Perhaps just think of limiting your speech as another energy conservation technique. In each situation, evaluate if it will cost you more energy to speak or to write. It does not have to be black & white. You may also find that using other energy conservation techniques gives you the energy to speak with those who are (unfortunately) unwilling to allow you to go voice-off. Going more voice-off may also show you who your true friends are. Those who are not willing to put in a little more effort are perhaps not worth your friendship.
Just my 2 cents
*EQL*
 
evil_queen_lisa said:
perhaps you need to not stop talking entirely, but use it wisely if it is costing you so much energy. For example, continue talking with people with whom you already talk, but when ordering from or conversing with strangers, use a pen and paper. Explain early on to new (and old) friendships that talking costs you a severe amount of energy, so some days you may just prefer to write/sign. With these other medical conditions, i suppose you have heard of many energy conservation techniques? Perhaps just think of limiting your speech as another energy conservation technique. In each situation, evaluate if it will cost you more energy to speak or to write. It does not have to be black & white. You may also find that using other energy conservation techniques gives you the energy to speak with those who are (unfortunately) unwilling to allow you to go voice-off. Going more voice-off may also show you who your true friends are. Those who are not willing to put in a little more effort are perhaps not worth your friendship.
Just my 2 cents
*EQL*
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I have to say this...

Very GOOD advice!
 
evil_queen_lisa said:
perhaps you need to not stop talking entirely, but use it wisely if it is costing you so much energy. For example, continue talking with people with whom you already talk, but when ordering from or conversing with strangers, use a pen and paper. Explain early on to new (and old) friendships that talking costs you a severe amount of energy, so some days you may just prefer to write/sign. With these other medical conditions, i suppose you have heard of many energy conservation techniques? Perhaps just think of limiting your speech as another energy conservation technique. In each situation, evaluate if it will cost you more energy to speak or to write. It does not have to be black & white. You may also find that using other energy conservation techniques gives you the energy to speak with those who are (unfortunately) unwilling to allow you to go voice-off. Going more voice-off may also show you who your true friends are. Those who are not willing to put in a little more effort are perhaps not worth your friendship.
Just my 2 cents
*EQL*
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I agree with the post above. Thank you. This sounds like a good idea. I'll try it. :)
 
Voice off at many public places. It is easier. If they dont hear me speak, they dont expect me to hear. Odd, eh? It does not make me cool or any deafer. It just makes things easier. Like E Q Lisa said, use it wisely. (btw Lisa, that advice was worth more than 2 cents lol)
 
nothing wrong with knowing how to use your voice, but only use it when you want to. if it's a medical hardship, then why please others at your own expense? in this case, you are choosing whose inconvenience it will be.. yours or others'.
 
SilentColors said:
I have an autoimmune disease that affects my bones, muscles, and other things like heart, lungs, etc. So I tend to pass out a lot, have seizures, I'm always in chronic pain, so I'm already really tired and I think that's the main reason for the breathing issues. I also have scoliosis that presses into my lungs and that could be another reason. I'm not sure the whole reason for it, it's just a big mix of different medical problems. But that's okay, such is life. :)
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Signing takes far more energy than talking. If you have so much muscle pain signing is not extremely practical.

You should probably be consulting your doctor instead of a deaf forum.
 
Bottesini, it takes no effort from me to sign at all --- but I can understand this person having recently started on ASL, and that it'd be quite the effort... but which is lesser of the two evils for her -- using voice or signs?
 
Bottesini said:
Signing takes far more energy than talking. If you have so much muscle pain signing is not extremely practical.

You should probably be consulting your doctor instead of a deaf forum.
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Signing does cause a lot of pain, but so does sitting up, or standing, or using a wheelchair. Pain is something I can't avoid, but blacking out is something I can avoid. At least not blacking out as much.
 
Liza said:
Bottesini, it takes no effort from me to sign at all --- but I can understand this person having recently started on ASL, and that it'd be quite the effort... but which is lesser of the two evils for her -- using voice or signs?
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If she has a debilitating disease affecting the muscles, it should be close to impossible for her.
 
Bottesini, I saw that too. She seemed to imply that using her voice was worse for her. A brave lass.. no matter what she decides to do about her communication.
 
Bottesini said:
If she has a debilitating disease affecting the muscles, it should be close to impossible for her.
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It's not impossible. I have a mixture of pain killers and other medications I'm on daily. I don't like the medications but they help me function. Basically, the more physical activity I do, the less I can do the next day. If I go grocery shopping or out somewhere one day, I'm usually stuck in bed for a day or two. I can sign, I just can't sign too fast any more and may not do huge expressive signs like others.
 
The first time I heard my voive on a tape recording I did not want to talk any more. I felt uncomfortable using my voice and did not talk a lot . I was very quite and people thought I was shy , I am not shy at all. I felt really left out when I did not talk , and when I started talking again I realize people did not think my voice was so horrible. My family made me feel bad about my speech and my older sister still said people can't understand me and I now know she is wrong as I had spoken at town meeting a few times and people understood me. I can't tell what what best for you ,you will have to see how you feel about not talking .You could try it with your family and boyfriend and how it feel to you and them before you try it out in public.

I still do not like my voice but I learned to live with it.
 
Hey Silentcolors, I do feel for you, I did black out at work yesterday not because of an illness but because I was so hot, the store where i work was so so hot. I was working on the tills, feeling bit strange i asked my collegue next to me, how I look, instantly i felt my blood draining out and everything went black! then whack.. I was gone. I can tell you, it's not nice at all and do sympathise how you are feeling.

Anyway, the voice suitation is entirely up to you, I am profoundly deaf and had been since birth, I NEVER heard my voice until I had the cochlear implant at 30 years old..... yeah I heard it! it was loud "harsh" Monotonal but now I have learnt to change my voice.
Have you heard of voice sythesizer (sp) If you use computer, there is sort of lists of words you want to say etc and the computer just makes the sentence and says it out for you. A lot of physically disabled people uses it.
I hope you find some sort of solution.
 
Kali,

What's your hearing loss range? Cause if it's profound / severe, you may be a candidate for a cochlear implant.

I know many late deafened people that got one and are very happy with it.
 
She didn't come here to ask how she could improve her hearing but if it is a good idea to stop using her voice because it take all her energy. Cochlear implant/HA take alot of energy (mentally, that is) too.

some people need alot of air so I 've see plenty of people with lung issues don't talk much at all.
 
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