Burnout : The Secret Epidemic
- themidnightmagazin
- Apr 30, 2021
- 2 min read
By Yda Cantos
Stressing the pandemic’s significant toll on education and youth mental health.
Apart from the COVID-19 pandemic, one can undoubtedly note the presence of a lingering epidemic among educational institutions. A year after the virus’ emergence, it is increasingly apparent how the pandemic has rocked the bridge between mental health and education more than ever before. Students find themselves more often under a great deal of stress, declining in performance not limited in academics but in all aspects of their lives. In a SickKids study surveying over 1000 parents of children ages 2-18 and nearly 350 youth between 10-18 years old, 70.2% of school-aged children reported deterioration in their mental health since the dawn of the pandemic.
As Ontario settles in for another lockdown, classes return to virtual learning, and the shift is rather difficult for the majority of students. With the added pressures of online learning, the numbers surrounding academic burnout amongst high school and university students continue to climb. A poll issued by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations noted that 62% of university students felt that "online learning has negatively impacted the quality of education in Ontario."
Burnout vs. Stress
Recognizing the difference is essential due to their uncanny similarities; they can easily be mistaken for the other.
"The most important burnout symptom is the feeling of total exhaustion—to the extent that it cannot be remedied by normal recovery phases of an evening, a weekend, or even a vacation,” states researcher Christian Dormann. According to an article written by Bryan E. Robinson Ph.D from Psychology Today, stress is a state in which you still struggle to cope with pressures. Contrarily, burnout is much more than fatigue; developing to a point where these prolonged mental pressures manifest into serious physical conditions.
Above all, the regular practice of self care is vital whether you are a student or not. Making time for yourself and taking care of your physical and mental health throughout the week is the perfect way to ensure the maintenance of your wellbeing throughout this ongoing pandemic.
To learn more visit https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-right-mindset/202011/the-surprising-difference-between-stress-and-burnout. For strategies regarding recovery, visit https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/burnout-recovery#communication.
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