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It’s easy to associate burnout with high-stress corporate jobs or entrepreneurial pursuits, but teens can also experience burnout. This condition is characterized by fatigue brought on by chronic stress, and anyone can be affected! Teen burnout can be hard for adults to spot because they don’t equate school or childhood with the same stresses as adulthood. But, meeting parental expectations, managing social situations, and performing well in school could be the perfect storm for chronic stress in teens.
Learn more about the reasons for burnout and how to support your teen as they learn how to deal with stress today.
Spot the Signs of Teen Burnout
Spotting the signs of burnout in teens can help you know when it’s time to reach out for help. While every individual is unique and handles stress differently, some of the common signs of burnout include:
- Exhaustion – This is one of the most common signs of burnout. Teens who have pushed themselves too hard might sleep too much or too little and feel exhausted as a result.
- Illness – Stress can affect the immune system. Over time, this can make teens more susceptible to common colds or other illnesses.
- Depression & Anxiety – These mental health issues can co-occur with burnout. Stress can even make the symptoms of depression or anxiety more severe.
- Irritability – If your teen is moody or frequently seems to snap at loved ones, chronic stress could be part of the reason.
How to Avoid Burnout
Although stress is an inevitable part of life, there are ways to avoid burnout. Having healthy coping skills can keep small stresses from snowballing into larger issues.
For teens, avoiding burnout can involve knowing that the adults in their life will listen. If you’re noticing the signs of burnout in your teen, talk to them about how they’re feeling. Let them know that if they’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re there to listen. Finding out the reasons for burnout can also help you address this issue at the root.
Some other strategies that can help your teens avoid burnout include:
- Regular Exercise
- Good Sleep Habits
- Talk Therapy
Mental Health Treatment at Ascend
While teen burnout can indicate that your child needs to prioritize rest and other forms of self-care, it can also be a sign that they’re struggling with their mental health. If these feelings of burnout are disrupting their everyday life, it may be time to turn to residential treatment to help your teen reset. Without help and guidance, some teens who are facing burnout might turn to drugs and alcohol to cope.
Our residential treatment programs in California offer your teens a supportive environment where they can learn about what’s causing their problems, how to deal with their everyday struggles, and how to avoid burnout in the future. To learn more about our mental health treatment programs, contact the Ascend admissions team at 310.388.3713 today.
