Do You Recognize The 7 Early Warning Signs of College Burnout?

The word “burnout” is relatively new.  Coined in 1974 by Herbert Freudenberger, it was originally defined as “the extinction of motivation or incentive, especially where one’s devotion to a cause or relationship fails to produce the desired results.”

Burnout is caused by excessive stress and can lead to physical depletion (weakened immunity, loss of energy) and emotional exhaustion (boredom, little motivation).  College burnout is really the same as normal burnout; it simply focuses on college students rather than employees.  Today, I will examine a few of the many of the effects burnout might have in a college student’s life.

#1  Loss of Motivation

Most students experiencing college burnout have a lack of motivation.  They no longer want to excel.  Although they may keep up with day-to-day tasks and classes, they are very unlikely to take on any extra tasks.

#2 Continual Lack of Energy

While suffering from college burnout, many college students feel a complete lack of energy.  Simply completing normal activities can feel like a huge waste of energy to them.  Many students are tired already, but these students are continually tired… even if they sleep in.

#3 Complete Boredom

During college burnout, students are often bored.  Nothing interests them for long.  Even their favorite hobby may now seem boring and worthless.

#4 Inability To Concentrate

Concentrating on studying or any other task for prolonged periods of time can be impossible for those suffering from college burnout.  Because of their boredom and lack of motivation, their mind will wander often, and learning will be very difficult.

#5 Continually Lower Grades

Because of their lack of motivation and inability to concentrate well, these students often experience large drops in their grades.  This failure to score well will them contribute more to their sense of failure, and they will become even more burnt-out.

#6 Detachment

Even the most sociable people, when suffering from burnout, will often become very detached from their friends.  They will try to avoid large gatherings and would rather sit by themselves than be among others.  Often this comes because they are afraid of what others will think of them since they are no longer motivated or doing well.

#7 Lowered Immunity To Diseases

Often, students experiencing burnout will loss their immunity to disease.  Often they may complain of headaches, back pain, or neck pain… without any apparent causes.  In addition, they will be much more likely to catch diseases such as the flu or the common cold.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you might be a victim of college burnout.  If you think you are a victim of college burnout, contact your doctor for help. I, as you know, am not a licensed doctor, and, therefore, this post does not constitute medical advice.  Please make sure to read my health disclaimer.

This is the first post in my three part series on college burnout.  In the next post, I will examine some of the causes, and, in the last post, I will explain some of the cures.

Image from Flickr

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