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What is 'Gifted Burnout'?

https://www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-blog/burnout-in-gifted-children/

Like other experiences of burnout, gifted kid burnout is the result of long-term stress. It is often characterized by physical exhaustion, mental fatigue, and emotional detachment. It can be brought on by juggling too many roles, having little control, or having few to no breaks. Gifted kid burnout adds a new dimension to the burnout experience because of their unique neurological makeup. Their perfectionism, asynchronous development, and over-excitabilities may feed into the burnout experience in a way that increases the intensity or duration of burnout.

The definition of gifted child burnout is chronic exhaustion that stems from a mismatch between the individual and their current educational environment. Gifted child burnout is often tied to an educational system that the child finds repetitive, unrewarding, without autonomy, unfair, or not aligned with their values. Gifted kids may also experience burnout due to the unique sources of stress in their lives and the expectations that come with being gifted.

Signs of Burnout in Gifted Students:

-Student feels cynical towards work, teachers, classmates, parents, and the whole school experience

-The student is disengaging from favorite topics and interests

-Student feels a sense of dread each day around going to school, clubs, or other activities

-Student experiences more frequent anxiety or panic attacks

-The student has a change in sleeping and eating habits

-Student feels overwhelmed or helpless by small setbacks

-Student has more headaches, digestive issues, or other physical ailments

-Student is withdrawing from friends and family

-Student is unmotivated to the point of being unable to complete chores, assignments, or social obligations

-The student feels a sense of futility, hopelessness, or pessimism toward their future

Our guest today, who happens to be a highly motivated and committed senior from my district, Larsen, recounts the 'many faces' of gifted burnout.

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