Real Talk

10 Invisible Signs Of Academic Burnout in Kids

by Kevyn Gohu
May 17, 2023

When kids get hit by academic burnout, it’s not always visible.

When the pressure of school becomes too much, kids experience academic burnout. The usual signs of academic burnout are easily seen when kids snap at people and look tired. But most of the damage caused by academic burnout happens on the inside. Although students often use a variety of coping mechanisms like binge-drinking coffee, playing video games, impulse shopping, or even hyper-fixating on accomplishing their academic requirements to hide it, the facade eventually fades and the damage from the academic stress reveals itself. Apart from the snappy comebacks and fatigued look, here are signs of academic burnout that most people miss.

1. Apathy

It’s not that they don’t care; it’s more that they don’t have the energy to care anymore. When the stress of failing requirements and expectations takes its toll, students lose their will to achieve, especially when the failures are consistent. “What’s the point?” — a common question they often ask after being battered by academic requirements, they then just give the “bare minimum to pass” so that they at least have a grade.

2. Perfectionism

The complete opposite of No. 1. While there is nothing wrong with setting high standards for oneself, it becomes toxic when the expectations are humanly impossible to accomplish. They adopt an “all-or-nothing” mentality. When their grades are even “off” their desired grade by 2 points, they have meltdowns, crying spells, or worse: they lash out.

3. Hypervigilance

Most believe that academic burnout looks like a student dragging their feet to class and sleeping in class. But not everybody shows it that way, with some being hypervigilant. Their eyes are as wide as dinner plates, their movements are stiff but twitchy, and their talking speed is faster than usual — as if they’re living life in fast-forward. Sometimes, they interrupt people while they’re talking as if trying to catch the “bonus points” for the exam.

4. Morbid outlooks on life

Humor is an excellent coping mechanism but, academic burnout can turn it into something more “morbid.” Burned-out students may often be saying things like, “How bold of you to assume that I’m alive?”, “Define okay”, “I’m alive?” and other existential statements while letting out a burst of nervous but dying laughter.

5. Being in a constant daze

The most common behavior that burned-out students have is that they’re frozen as if they’re in a trance or daze. They also struggle in being able to accomplish simple tasks and panic when given commands. Time runs differently for those on an academic burnout and all other decision-making processes are dealt with via reactions instead of proper planning.

Usually, insomnia or lack of proper sleep causes their being in a daze or trance, which is caused by they’re anxiously and constantly going over their academic to-do list that their brain refuses to let them rest.

6. Self-destructive

When the heat is on to achieve top grades and a flawless academic report, students show little regard for their own health. But it’s not always obvious; they take on a lot of work, finish everything within the given time, take command of the activity, and even make notes for the other group members (if in a group work), making them look “productive.” Hence, the term: “high functioning.” The mentality to be consistently and constantly productive pressures them to work without stopping, even if they start getting sick.

And if they start falling behind, they often gaslight themselves by telling themselves that “everyone can do it, why can’t I?”, “I’m not weak” and other things that mentally minimize their pain.

7. Reckless and impulsive

Nos. 5, 6, and, 7 often work hand in hand, with students doing a lot of things without thinking them through. Because of the term “high functioning,” it gets harder to distinguish academic “burnout” from “motivation.” Some students show it by throwing themselves into reading five 20-page readings in a day before having a crying meltdown when they realize that there’s not enough time to memorize everything.

8. Increased intake of performance-boosting substances.

Performance-boosting substances don’t always mean drugs. It can be something as perfectly legal and accessible as iced coffee. In small amounts, it helps people get through the day. But students with academic burnout, especially older ones, rely on these as a “substitute for food” because some substances like caffeine (which is common in Energy Drinks or Iced Coffee) suppress their appetite thus, giving them more time to accomplish their never-ending to-do list. Coupled with being in a constant adrenaline rush from the stress, they consider chewing bothersome and a waste of time. If they’re not eating their usual amount, that’s a sign they’re stressed out or on the verge of burning out.

9. The mental load of “everyone’s counting on me.”

Students’ mental loads are invisible weights that can be both self-inflicted or from other people. Especially when they initially came from a high academic standing, they will add additional pressure on themselves with grades being the measuring stick of whether they succeeded or not. Valedictorians often suffer academic burnout, especially when moving from high school to college because the usual effort that used to get them top grades sometimes fails to even achieve 50%.

They usually show this by violently or defiantly rejecting any form of help. They also become inflexible, unable to adapt to the sudden changes in the activity’s execution. One of their most common behaviors includes saying, “I’m okay.” Even when they’re obviously not.

10. Not perceiving time the same way as everyone else.

Time is either too fast or too slow for students with academic burnout. Sometimes, they won’t recognize that a week already passed and then, freak out when the reality of it finally sinks in. Many will describe it as an “out-of-body experience,” letting their body function mechanically and leaving them with no clear memory of what they did.

How do you get out of academic burnout?

Sometimes, academic burnout happens when students are too much in their books and not enough in their nooks. Spending time with friends often helps them balance the stress. But as parents, it helps also to lessen being grade conscious. Although grades were everything back in the day, education has developed new ways to test if kids understood the subject.