"Gifted Kids" And "Old Souls" And Where They Are Now In Life, As They Said In This Reddit Thread

Seems like a lot got the gifted-kid-burnout syndrome.

Sophia

• Published in Interesting
• April 6, 2022

It's not really that surprising to learn that most "gifted kids" and children that were often said to be "old souls" have grown up to be people who have such depressing lives. Well, not all of them ended up down the drain, though, but it's safe to say that there are truly a good number of them that surfed the waves high when they were young and crashed to the shore once they got a taste of college or adulthood.

These days, you may have heard of the term "Gifted Kid Burnout" or the "Gifted Kid Syndrome" making rounds in the Internet world. People have coined this term for a lot of people that have been said to be gifted, talented, and smart beyond their years when they were still a kid, but went into a somewhat downward spiral when they became adults, because of all the burnout, pressure, and excessive perfectionism they tried to achieve all while growing up.

This might also be an effect of parents smothering their kids and prodding them to be the best all while growing up, that they develop an unhealthy obsession with keeping themselves at the top, especially in terms of grades. If you were one of these kids, then you most definitely know the feeling of yearning for something great but you can't seem to dream big or motivate yourself anymore because you already burned yourself out throughout your youth.

That being said, when a Reddit user asked this question in the r/AskReddit community, "ex"-gifted kids and old souls crowded the replies and shared where they ended up in life. Take a look at the best responses below!

1. All those won contests, gained medals, and high grades, only to end up at a dead-end job

2. Some of them are now in therapy to unpack years of trauma and pressure

3. A bonus if they are gay now

4. A sad truth about people who peaked when they were in grade school

5. This one's got a PhD!

6. It's a good thing and a relief to see that some of them still ended up successful, after all. There are still some negativities around, though.

7. A doctor that needs rehab

8. This sums it all up

9. Oh, the damn imposter syndrome

10. The mental health struggles are real

11. The dark side of being the gifted kid too early

12. Waiting to die

13. What's important is that they are happy now

14. The key to a truly happier life!

15. A lot of adults who were gifted kids are actually late diagnosed!

16. A great thing to do is not let the kids experience the pressure and burnout for being gifted at an early age

17. Struggling in Med School

18. If you are looking for a sign to get tested again, this is it!

19. A stargazer? Hmm.

20. Sometimes life does not go the way you want it to

21. Happiness should always be a priority

22. Still pushing through

23. The desire to have a job that does not necessarily require you to think

24. A programmer at home

OP had to comment how they were late diagnosed, too!

No matter where they ended up, it's a great thing to know that some of them are happy now with where they are, regardless of their career and status. Contrastingly, it's also a sad thing to hear that some are suffering a lot of mental issues due to the years they dedicated to themselves to be the best.

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Sophia