Not hearing is not an abstract thing. It has very concrete effects on daily life.

Some are comfortable. Others not so much.

Over time, I’ve learned to identify which things work in my favor and which ones require constant adaptation.

Pros

When I take off my implant, I hear nothing. That means I can decide when I want to hear and when I don’t.

At night, for example, environmental sounds don’t wake me up. I don’t hear cars passing by, distant horns, or unexpected noises.

The neighbor’s dog doesn’t wake me up either.

Sleep becomes deeper. Not better. More continuous.

In very noisy places, like restaurants or bars, if the music is too loud or I simply don’t like it, I can turn the implant off.

I don’t have to endure the volume. I don’t have to adapt to the environment.

In that sense, the most important thing is this: I have a choice.

Cons

Not hearing also has clear limitations.

One of the most obvious ones is spatial sound. If someone talks to me from behind or from the side, I don’t always know where the voice is coming from.

I have to turn, look around, confirm.

Another drawback is the alarm clock. I don’t hear it.

To be able to wake up, I sleep with a vibrating watch. It works, but it’s a permanent adaptation.

There are also experiences that change completely.

Going to the movies is one of them.

I can’t watch movies in Spanish without subtitles. The dialogue isn’t clear enough to follow without visual support.

That limits which movies I watch and how I watch them.

It’s not better or worse. It’s different.