What Is Gifted Child Burnout? Exploring Signs And Ways To Cope

Being a “gifted child” often means having a high intelligence or skill level in a particular area. Gifted children may excel academically, master creative skills, or otherwise exceed expectations. However, because they are often pressured and expected to continue to perform at a high level, some gifted kids may face the risk of burnout, a severe type of chronic stress. 

Understanding gifted child burnout can help you support your child or cope with having been a gifted child as a kid. It can be helpful to celebrate your child as a person independent of their achievements and to teach them time management skills so they can balance their hobbies, social lives, rest, and responsibilities. For further guidance, consider reaching out to a licensed mental health professional.

What is “gifted child burnout?” 

“Gifted child burnout” is a term that can be used to explain the chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and reduction in motivation a child may experience when they face persistent pressure to succeed. Children may be at a higher risk of burnout if they: 

• Take on a high load of activities, such as extracurricular activities and AP classes that take up most of their time 
• Face pressure to get a 4.0 GPA
• Are pushed to excel in a particular skill 
• Are expected to meet unreasonable expectations due to their intelligence or excellence in a specific area
• Are expected to take on more mature duties or are moved up a grade and don’t have time to grow alongside their peer group 
• Are pushed to take on increasingly challenging classes in school 
• Do not have time for a social life due to academic pressure
• Are asked to take on a job alongside schoolwork, volunteering, and other duties as a teenager

Gifted students may be conventionally intelligent, straight-A students in a gifted program at school, or they may have high skill levels in different areas that are not typical of others in their age group. Gifted children may take on a variety of responsibilities in elementary school, middle school, and high school due to their intelligence or aptitude. 

Because children are still growing and learning, being expected to manage multiple responsibilities and a busy schedule before they have fully developed can lead to stress. They may miss out on time with their peers, struggle to find time to relax, develop mental health challenges, and not engage in hobbies due to the constant pressure to succeed. 

Adults may also experience the impacts of having faced burnout as gifted children in the past. This pressure can lead to shame in adulthood and perfectionism in the workplace. In some cases, burnout can lead to eating disorders, especially in athletes, who may be more likely than the general population to experience this type of mental illness. 

Signs of burnout 

Burnout can manifest differently from person to person, but the symptoms below are generally considered common signs of gifted kid burnout. 

Irritability

Because burnout often involves a buildup of stress hormones like cortisol in the body, the nervous system may be on high alert, potentially leading to hypersensitivity. When children are hypersensitive to their environment, they may be more irritated by minor inconveniences than they normally would. In children, this symptom can look like snapping at caregivers or teachers, crying out of frustration, leaving a room in anger, or yelling. Irritability can also lead to more severe anger. 

Changes in sleep patterns

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children generally require eight to 13 hours of sleep per night, depending on their age. However, kids experiencing burnout may become exhausted and could sleep more than usual or fall asleep during class. Conversely, some kids may develop insomnia due to anxiety, racing thoughts, worries about deadlines, or pressure to succeed. They may stay up late to finish assignments or spend hours ruminating at night. 

Anxiety 

The organization Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) reports that anxiety can be common in gifted children. A gifted student may struggle to fit in with peers and could be prone to overthinking and worry due to their desire to exceed expectations. 

Obsessive thinking can lead to taking on more than one can handle, potentially leading to further burnout. As children maintain high standards for themselves, they may start to label themselves as “failures” if burnout symptoms lead them to struggle or lose motivation. Receiving a low grade could lead to severe anxiety or shame, potentially causing them to work harder to reduce worry and attempt to self-soothe. These patterns can continue into adulthood, sometimes resulting in perfectionistic tendencies. 

Difficulty prioritizing other areas of life 

Gifted children may find themselves so busy that they struggle to prioritize other areas of life, such as their social lives, family time, and self-care. When burnout occurs, this difficulty can worsen as energy reserves may be depleted. Children may become tired, withdrawn, and lonely. 

How parents can help children reduce the risk of burnout

Parents and caregivers can significantly influence how much their children take on and how they are treated in relation to their talents. Below are a few ways to help children through burnout or work through stress as an adult who was once a gifted child.  

Teach healthy time management strategies

Teach your child time management strategies, such as time blocking and setting aside time for self-care and rest. A few ways to make this process easier may include the following: 

• Create a sticker chart that leads to rewards for completing certain tasks 
• Help them break tasks into parts, such as cleaning one part of the room at a time or completing one portion of an assignment each day instead of doing it all at once the day before it’s due
• Let them have a say in their schedule and the activities they want to do
• Help them create a to-do list or agenda
• Establish a daily routine for everyone in the family, keeping your child’s unique needs in mind 
• Establish “downtime” or a quiet hour at home when everyone in the family spends time quietly partaking in a hobby or resting
• Teach mindfulness or quick meditation practices, like deep breathing, that they can use throughout the day or in stressful situations 

If your child asks to take on less responsibility, try not to pressure them to do more than they are able. Burnout can lead to the harmful impacts associated with chronic stress, including high blood pressure, increased risk of physical and mental illness, inflammation, and headaches. Work with your child to help them develop a schedule they can feasibly maintain without distress. 

Lower expectations 

Expectations from others can be a significant source of burnout for children. Although parents may want the best for their kids, pushing them to take on too many activities can lead a child to believe they are unworthy unless they are meeting their parents’ demands. 

In general, everyone goes through challenges, including children. When children have a difficult day or struggle to complete an assignment, they may be afraid to reach out to their support system due to the fear of not meeting their expectations. 

Let your children know you will support and love them no matter what grade or outcome they achieve. Lower your expectations for what their intelligence and talent could mean for their future. You may desire for them to accomplish a high-paying or high-profile job. However, everyone is different, and being gifted doesn’t necessarily mean a child will someday want to be a doctor, lawyer, or executive. Nurture your child’s personality and encourage them to pursue their interests.

Separate success from identity 

Children may start to associate their success with how good of a person they are or whether they will be loved or cherished by others. They may tie their success to their identity. When they win or make progress, the attention they get from others can lead them to believe they are special, important, and loved. However, if they are not celebrated for who they are as a person rather than for their achievements, they may think they're only worthy if they work exceptionally hard and have many accomplishments. 

Children are people with unique personalities and desires. Remind your child that they are perfect exactly as they are. Celebrate their non-academic and non-skill-based achievements, such as their self-expression, humor, personality, kindness, empathy, or artistic ability. Help them put time into their hobbies, even if those hobbies aren’t necessarily tied to their success. Spend time with them and remind them that they are unique and special.

Face burnout head-on with professional support

Connect with a therapist online

Talk to a therapist 

Having a gifted child who experiences burnout can be challenging for parents. In addition, adults who were once considered gifted children may continue to carry stress into their professional lives, believing they must overachieve to be valued at work or in their relationships. If you are struggling with these challenges, consider talking to a therapist.

If in-person therapy is out of your budget or doesn’t fit your schedule, you might try online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp. Online platforms allow you to get advice from home or any location with an internet connection via phone, video, or live chat sessions. In addition, you can match with a therapist who has experience supporting parents or those with burnout.

Studies show that online therapy can be effective in reducing burnout. In a 2022 study, internet-based therapy reduced the risk of burnout by approximately 26% and identified multiple risk factors for its development, helping participants take control of their mental health. 

Takeaway 

Gifted children often experience a high risk of stress due to the external pressure to succeed. To prevent burnout, parents may benefit from teaching their children about time management and not associating their identity and self-esteem with their successes. To discuss this topic and receive support, consider reaching out to a therapist online or in your area.