What The Drama Teaches Us About Single-Sided Deafness

"I can hear you... just not from that side."

If you've ever wondered what it's like to live with single-sided deafness (SSD), the recently released A24 film The Drama is worth watching.

Starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, The Drama features a main character, Emma, who lives with single-sided deafness.

Throughout the film, several everyday listening situations realistically portray the challenges that people with SSD experience.

One of the earliest scenes captures this perfectly. Charlie approaches Emma in a café, but she doesn't respond because he is standing on her deaf side while she's listening with her hearing ear.

Assuming she is ignoring him, he walks away—only to realise later that she simply couldn't hear him.

It's a brief moment, but for many people living with single-sided deafness, it's instantly familiar.

"But I Still Have One Good Ear..."

This is one of the biggest misconceptions about hearing loss.

Many people believe that if one ear still hears normally, hearing should be almost the same as before.

In reality, our brains are designed to process sound from both ears working together.

With two healthy ears, we can:

• Tell where sounds are coming from.
• Focus on one voice in a noisy environment.
• Judge how close or far away a sound is.
• Experience a natural sense of space and direction.

When hearing is available from only one ear, these abilities become much more difficult.

Why Restaurants and Cafés Can Be So Challenging

The café scene in The Drama highlights a common problem for people with SSD.

Imagine sitting in a busy café. Conversations, music, coffee machines, and background chatter are happening all at once.

If someone speaks from your deaf side, you may not hear them at all.

Even if you become aware that someone is talking, understanding what they said can require much more effort than it does for someone with hearing in both ears.

This is why many people with SSD feel mentally exhausted after social gatherings. Their brain is constantly working harder to make sense of sounds.

The Invisible Disability

One of the most powerful aspects of The Drama is that it shows how single-sided deafness is often invisible.

People with SSD may appear to hear normally, especially during quiet, one-on-one conversations.

However, the challenges become much more noticeable in noisy environments or when someone speaks from the affected side.

Because hearing loss isn't obvious, people with SSD are sometimes misunderstood as:

• Not paying attention.
• Ignoring others.
• Being distracted.
• Forgetting what was said.

In reality, they may simply never have heard the conversation.

What Causes Single-Sided Deafness?

Unlike the fictional character in the film, people can develop single-sided deafness for many different reasons, including:

• Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).
• Viral infections.
• Ménière's disease.
• Acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma).
• Head injuries.
• Exposure to loud noise.
• Congenital hearing loss (present from birth).
• Certain medications that may damage hearing.

What Treatments Are Available?

Depending on the cause and your hearing profile, several treatment options may be available.

CROS Hearing Systems

A CROS (Contralateral Routing of Signal) hearing system picks up sounds from the deaf ear and wirelessly transmits them to the better-hearing ear.

This helps users become aware of conversations and sounds coming from their affected side.

BiCROS Hearing Systems

For people who also have hearing loss in their better ear, BiCROS systems provide amplification while simultaneously transmitting sounds from the poorer ear.

Cochlear Implants

Some people with single-sided deafness may benefit from a cochlear implant.

For appropriate candidates, cochlear implants can improve speech understanding in noisy environments, sound localisation, and overall quality of life.

Communication Strategies

Technology isn't the only solution. Small everyday habits can also make communication easier.

• Sit with your better ear facing the speaker.
• Choose quieter places for conversations.
• Reduce background noise whenever possible.
• Tell family and friends which side you hear best from.
• Position yourself where you can clearly see the speaker's face.

Could You Have Single-Sided Deafness?

You should consider a comprehensive hearing assessment if you:

• Frequently turn your head so one ear faces the speaker.
• Struggle to hear conversations in restaurants or group settings.
• Find it difficult to tell where sounds are coming from.
• Experience ringing (tinnitus) in one ear.
• Notice hearing loss in only one ear.

Many people live with single-sided deafness without realising that effective solutions are available.

Discover Better Hearing with SOUNDLIFE

If you or someone you love has difficulty hearing from one side, don't assume it's something you simply have to live with.

The right diagnosis and technology can make everyday conversations easier, more comfortable, and more enjoyable.

At SOUNDLIFE Hearing Center, we provide comprehensive hearing assessments and personalised solutions for people with single-sided deafness, including advanced CROS and BiCROS Hearing Systems from leading global manufacturers.