9 Signs of Burnout in Teenagers

Burnout isn't just for adults. In fact, teens can get super overwhelmed with all of their life responsibilities and get burnt out too.

High school, sports, extracurricular activities, friends, romantic relationships, social media, and family can all cause stress for teens.

How Many Teens Are Burnt Out?

A survey of adults and teens conducted online on behalf of the American Psychological Association by Harris Interactive Inc., teens reported stress levels during the school year that exceeded what they believed to be healthy (5.8 vs. 3.9 on a 10-point scale).

The average reported stress level of adults was 5.1 on a 10-point scale, demonstrating that teens' feelings of stress rival those of adults.

In the survey, results indicated that:

• 31% of teens reported feeling overwhelmed
• 30% of teens reported feeling depressed or sad as a result of stress
• 36% of teens reported feeling tired
• 23% of teens reported skipping a meal due to stress

This Is Why Stress Leads to Burnout

Burnout is a state of chronic stress that leads to physical and emotional exhaustion, depression, detachment, cynicism, and lack of accomplishment including feelings of ineffectiveness.

Though most adolescents go through situations that cause stress and tension, chronic stress and piled-up stressors can result in depression, aggressive behavior, or suicidal tendencies. Some teens may take to fighting, drinking, and smoking or other risky behavior in an effort to cope and deal with their feelings of stress.

9 Signs of Burnout in Teenagers

Here are 9 signs of burnout in teens:

1. Depression: They don't want to do anything, they have lost interest in things they like to do, and they have decreased attention or effectiveness when doing things.
2. Anxiety: They feel anxious for no known reason or act overly anxious. It's hard to relax, and good sleep is a thing of the past! Nightmares may be present.
3. Insomnia: Not being able to fall asleep or not being able to fall asleep after waking up in the middle of the night
4. Eating habits: Overeating or not eating enough are both stress responses
5. Emotional behavior: Impulsive behavior and emotional instability (e.g., extreme anger, fear, or sadness) can indicate burnout.
6. Physical pain: Neck or back pain can be a symptom of burnout.
7. Missing periods: Many health conditions can cause your teens to miss their periods and stress may be one reason.
8. Health issues: Complaints about a stomachache, dizziness, and dryness of the throat and mouth may be indicative of burnout
9. Risky behavior: Increased risk-taking behavior can be a sign of burnout. For example, smoking, drinking alcohol or experimenting with sex or drugs sometimes point to underlying problems such as burnout.

How Can Parents Help Their Teen Who's Dealing With Burnout?

Parents can start to help by being understanding of the problems faced by their teens. With proper guidance and time, your teen can learn to overcome stress and related issues. This is why it is important to seek the help of a trained professional like a guidance counselor or psychologist. 

Better support and health education (at both school, home, and at the community level) will lead to breaking the cycle of stress and unhealthy behaviors for your teen.