If there was a magic pill that cure deafness...

[Silentwolfdog]

Would you take it? I know it's not reality and probably will not be for a long time. But I am asking "IF" it exists and that the pill will restore all of it. Will you take it or not? Why or why not?


Ah and of course the pill is without any side effects.

 

[rjr2006]

I would go hearing if the magic pill will ever be made. it would make my life much easier and that I would be able to use regular/cell phones

 

[shel90]

10 years ago, I would have said yes in a min but I have learned to accept my deafness and adapt to it so I am not really sure. I really cant say until it actually happnens cuz who knows what my reaction would be.

 

[Hear Again]

If you would have asked me this question in 1995, I would have said yes.

Losing my hearing was one of the most difficult experiences of my life (given how blindness impacts hearing loss and vice-versa) and I can't count the number of times I wished my hearing would come back.

Once I learned how to use alternative communication and mobility techniques for the deafblind, I learned to accept my deafblindness.

Given where I am today, I would probably take the pill if only to find out what "normal" hearing is like.

 

[RDC_girl]

Is there a pill that will make me deaf? Sometimes I think that would make my life so much easier!

Let me explain - i have tinnitus and no one really knows what I go through. My mom yells at me because she thinks I am ignoring her when really I just didnt hear her. People think I am lying when I say I cant hear them and it annoys me

 

[shel90]

If you would have asked me this question in 1995, I would have said yes.

Losing my hearing was one of the most difficult experiences of my life (given how blindness impacts hearing loss and vice-versa) and I can't count the number of times I wished my hearing would come back.

Once I learned how to use alternative communication and mobility techniques for the deafblind, I learned to accept my deafblindness.

Given where I am today, I would probably take the pill if only to find out what "normal" hearing is like.

If I can do that with the option to going back to being deaf, maybe I would try it. I would be scared cuz what if I dont like being hearing? Like in that movie with Val Kilmer who played a blind man who got a chance to see and when he finally did, it was too overwhelming for him so he wanted to go back to being blind. I cant remember the name of it but it was very interesting cuz it is about the brain never learning how to "see".

 

[Aleser]

I'm not deaf (hoh) so I'm not sure if I get to answer this one, but:

Maybe. Losing my hearing significantly impacted my mobility, and in the end required alot more time doing o&m for me to be as safe as I -always- was when my hearing was 'normal'. I can't say I loved my hearing loss right about then. On the other side, it's given me an interesting window into forms of communication, -forced- me to stop relying on audio-everythings and become a better braille reader, and to some extent, made me prouder of who I am.

So, would I take the magic pill? Maybe, but only if it works for a limited time, or has some way to easily reverse it (second pill?) I wouldn't want to regret taking away a factor in my identity.

 

[Hear Again]

If I can do that with the option to going back to being deaf, maybe I would try it. I would be scared cuz what if I dont like being hearing? Like in that movie with Val Kilmer who played a blind man who got a chance to see and when he finally did, it was too overwhelming for him so he wanted to go back to being blind. I cant remember the name of it but it was very interesting cuz it is about the brain never learning how to "see".

Shel,

The name of that movie was "At First Sight." Very good movie!

As someone who was born blind, I'd feel the same way about regaining my sight. There would be too many things I'd have to learn -- how to read print, identify everyday objects, etc. -- it would be a bit overwhelming.

 

[Deafilmedia]

yes... and I would say goodbye to deaf culture.

 

[VamPyroX]

I remember having this discussion years ago here in AllDeaf. The question was Matrix-related... "If I had two pills... red that makes you hearing and blue that does nothing... which would you take?"

Anyway, my answer is... I don't know. I would have to give it a lot of thought.

I've already learned to accept the fact that I am deaf. However, if I did take the pill and made myself hearing... I wouldn't change the way I am. I would still respect and act the same in deaf society. Of course, I would still consider myself "deaf" in a way since I still have a lot to learn before hearing like a hearing person. I would have to learn how to recognize things more. I would still ask for interpreters. Etc...

 

[Aleser]

As someone who was born blind, I'd feel the same way about regaining my sight. There would be too many things I'd have to learn -- how to read print, identify everyday objects, etc. -- it would be a bit overwhelming.

Heh, I suppose I'm on the other end here. My vision was (nearly) normal at birth and since then has had periods of severe drops and then stable times. I see just enough to -remember- what some things used to look like, and it's frustrating at times. Partly, it makes me wish my vision would decline further, forcing me to stop using my last bits of it as a crutch. I know there's alot of people who do it to a much greater extent than I do, but it's still frustrating to catch myself when I do.

 

[deafdyke]

As someone who was born blind, I'd feel the same way about regaining my sight.

REGAINING it? How can you get back something you never experianced? I mean I thought u were totally blind, and didn't even have any useful vision.

 

[Aleser]

I don't know their situation, but "born blind" doesn't mean "born with no light preception". Someone with 20/800 vision might not have any useful vision, but they're not totally blind, just legally so.

 

[Hear Again]

REGAINING it? How can you get back something you never experianced? I mean I thought u were totally blind, and didn't even have any useful vision.

deafdyke,

I am totally blind. I made an error by using the word "regain" instead of "gain." It was an honest mistake on my part. Sorry.

As Aleser pointed out, when someone says they were "born blind" it doesn't mean total blindness. It means visual acuity of 20/200 (legal blindness) to total blindness.

By the way, some opthalmologists consider those with light perception to be totally blind since light perception does not aid in mobility/daily living tasks or allow a person to read print/recognize objects.

In addition, no two people with identical visual acuity see the same. For example, a person with 20/400 vision may be able to read print and travel without a cane while another person may not.

 

[shel90]

deafdyke,

I am totally blind. I made an error by using the word "regain" instead of "gain." It was an honest mistake on my part. Sorry.

As Aleser pointed out, when someone says they were "born blind" it doesn't mean total blindness. It means visual acuity of 20/200 (legal blindness) to total blindness.

By the way, some opthalmologists consider those with light perception to be totally blind since light perception does not aid in mobility/daily living tasks or allow a person to read print/recognize objects.

In addition, no two people with identical visual acuity see the same. For example, a person with 20/400 vision may be able to read print and travel without a cane while another person may not.[/QUOTE]

So true!! Same thing with deafness...

 

[Hear Again]

Heh, I suppose I'm on the other end here. My vision was (nearly) normal at birth and since then has had periods of severe drops and then stable times. I see just enough to -remember- what some things used to look like, and it's frustrating at times. Partly, it makes me wish my vision would decline further, forcing me to stop using my last bits of it as a crutch. I know there's alot of people who do it to a much greater extent than I do, but it's still frustrating to catch myself when I do.

That does sound frustrating and I can completely understand why you wish your vision would deteriorate.

I have a friend who is legally blind (her visual acuity is "counts fingers") and as she likes to say, "I have just enough vision to get me into trouble." She has often told me how she wished she were totally blind so she wouldn't have to deal with fluctuating vision -- especially when moving from light to dark environments. She also expresses frustration at explaining her vision loss to others. Some people she meets expect her to be able to see everything while others assume she's totally blind.

That's where I'm "lucky." When you tell someone you're totally blind, people understand what that means. When you tell them you're legally blind, it's a bit more difficult to explain since that can mean so many different things and can be impacted by the environment (sunny/cloudy, color contrast/size of objects, lack of depth perception, etc.).

 

[sr171soars]

To answer the er...fantasy question, you bet your bippy! I take in a heartbeat...no doubt about it. I have always preferred to hear over being deaf...always. I guess I would have to get used to hearing in one's sleep which I never had to do before. Oh well, life is not perfect...

The main reason that it would complete my goal from when I was very young...to finally arrive in their world.

 

[shel90]

To answer the er...fantasy question, you bet your bippy! I take in a heartbeat...no doubt about it. I have always preferred to hear over being deaf...always. I guess I would have to get used to hearing in one's sleep which I never had to do before. Oh well, life is not perfect...

The main reason that it would complete my goal from when I was very young...to finally arrive in their world.

Just playing devil's advocate here..what if u got it and it was like how that blind character in that movie "At First Sight" and u couldnt handle all the stimulations going thru your ears and u cant turn it off like u do with your CIs..would u go for it? That's the part I would be wary of..I like having the option of turning my HAs off if I dont want to hear sounds but once a person becomes hearing..no device to turn it off.

 

[sr171soars]

Just playing devil's advocate here..what if u got it and it was like how that blind character in that movie "At First Sight" and u couldnt handle all the stimulations going thru your ears and u cant turn it off like u do with your CIs..would u go for it? That's the part I would be wary of..I like having the option of turning my HAs off if I dont want to hear sounds but once a person becomes hearing..no device to turn it off.

I "hear" you! To answer your question, yes even with that "drawback".

Believe it or not, I have no trouble listening all day long loud noise or otherwise. My worst time was when I had my CI operation and I had to wait 2 1/2 weeks to hear again. After about 5 days, that drove me nuts! I was climbing the walls and I wanted to hear so desperately. It was a relief when I got hooked up.

Truth be told, I do enjoy the "quiet" when I take my CI before bed. So, your point is well taken. Still, I think I would adjust just fine and get used to hearing all the time (I guess I would have to tell my wife to stop snoring when she has a cold!)

 

[Silentwolfdog]

Hmm, I guess acceptance and fear does make a difference in people decide whether to take it or not.

Since billions of people have to get used to hear, I am sure we can. We might don't have advantage like the baby do of not being able to remember when we were overwhelmed with all stimulation that went on. But I believe that we are capable of adapting to most of what environment got to offer.

What about pro and con of taking a pill? Seem like to me the pro overweight the con.

Here's a tough question, if you had a baby who are deaf, would you give it to the baby? Do the baby have a right to be able to hear and gain advantages like hearing baby do, or you would deny a pill to the baby?

And let's supposed that you guys refuse to take a pill, okay? If something happened and society for some reason refused to provide you something you need because of your deafness, such as an interpreter or captioning service. Their excuse is, "Well, you could have taken a pill and so it's your problem, not ours. Why should we provide you with something that cost our money and time, knowing that you could have communicate with us if you took a pill."

What would you do about it?

I bet that the day that pill came, the deaf society would be split up and confused.