It’s Not A Festive Fourth of July When You Have Hyperacusis By Samantha Lebron

It is the Fourth of July, the weather is nice with no rain in sight, and the sun has set a few hours prior. You are with friends and family at a local outdoor location to enjoy some fireworks. Before you know it, the sky is lit up with beautiful colors. Then you glance to the side and notice a young child sitting on the ground with their hands covering their ears. You do not think much of it. You figure the fireworks are too loud for them to handle, but what if this were a full-grown adult? Would you think differently? In the above scenario, I would be the full-grown adult covering my ears because I have a hearing disorder called hyperacusis. Hyperacusis is a rare hearing disorder that makes everyday sounds seem unbearably loud, painful, or frightening. The brain perceives sounds as loud regardless of their frequency, whether low or high. For as long as I can remember, sounds have always dictated how I go about my day. I was not diagnosed with hyperacusis until I was 25. Before my...