Lydia Bach’s Message: Burnout is Real for Teens

Lydia Bach, a 15-year-old sophomore living in New York City, has a message for adults who think teens can’t possibly experience burnout.

What’s Causing Burnout?

“If people want to find out what teens are burnt out about, they have to just take a look at the world,” Bach says, rattling off stressors like gun violence and global conflict, not to mention the “ever-looming threat that we actually won’t have a future because of climate change.”

Now, she says, imagine you’re a high school student also trying to constantly “be better” and “do better,” because “productivity culture” demands regular self-improvement. Meanwhile, you’re painfully aware of the economic stakes of your high school career. Without a high grade point average, you might not get into the good college, which will set you up for the well-paying job with health insurance.

Grind Culture and Social Media

Trying to meet high expectations set by parents, teachers, coaches, peers, and even themselves, teens have to also contend with social media. The unpredictable algorithmic force that is the internet often amplifies the different pressures that teens feel, according to a new report on grind culture from Common Sense Media, the Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard School of Education, and Indiana University.

For teens, these pressures include feeling like they need to have a “game plan” for their future; that they must rack up “exceptional” achievements; and that they should look and present themselves in a certain way. More than a quarter of the 1,545 teens surveyed by the researchers struggle with burnout.

The Path That Leads to Burnout

While there’s no evidence of a causal link between social media and burnout, Amanda Lenhart, head of research for Common Sense Media, says the survey findings showed that social media tends to amplify the pressures that teens experience more often than it alleviates them.

Helping Teens with Burnout

Dr. Tori Cordiano, a licensed clinical psychologist in Beachwood, Ohio, who works with clients in private practice and as a school consultant psychologist, says that teens began using the term “burnout” about five to seven years ago.

Some use the word interchangeably with stress to describe feeling overwhelmed. But others are experiencing burnout as a chronic condition characterized by the “depletion of the ability to even think about how to move forward,” says Cordiano.

Conclusion

Burnout is a real and pressing issue for teens, and it’s not just about stress. It’s about the chronic pressure to perform, the constant need to be better, and the ever-present fear of not meeting expectations. As adults, it’s up to us to recognize the signs of burnout and work with our teens to develop healthy strategies to ease their burden.

FAQs

Q: What are the common pressures that teens face?
A: According to the report, teens feel pressure to have a “game plan” for their future, rack up “exceptional” achievements, and look and present themselves in a certain way.

Q: How common is burnout among teens?
A: More than a quarter of the 1,545 teens surveyed by the researchers struggle with burnout.

Q: What can parents do to help their teens with burnout?
A: Parents can pay attention to signs of burnout, work with their teens to identify healthy strategies, and develop reasonable expectations of how their teen manages their time and schedule.