1. Acknowledge How You Feel
- Many IB students experience burnout, anxiety, or depression due to heavy academic load and perfectionism
- Reddit users often emphasize prioritizing mental health over grades:
“always put yourself and your mental health over work. It’s not worth tears… endless and sleepless night”
Recognizing the stress you're under is the first step toward relief.
2. Explore IB Support and Accommodations
- The IB recognizes mental health as an adverse circumstance and allows accommodations like deadline extensions, rescheduled exams, or alternate venues if reported on time
- Additionally, schools often provide counselling, study-reduction plans, and health days
Don’t hesitate to tap into these resources—they exist to protect your well-being.
3. Implement Stress Management Strategies
- Aim for better work-life balance: schedule breaks, exercise, socialize, and get enough sleep
- Use structured study techniques (e.g. Pomodoro) and schedule self-care like short walks or downtime .
- Learn and practice grounding techniques: deep breathing, mindfulness, and pausing when anxious.
These habits build resilience during tough periods.
4. Reflect on Long-Term Impact vs. Short-Term Sacrifice
- The IB offers valuable skills—research, critical thinking, global mindset—but not if you're mentally unwell.
- One Redditor wisely said: "Am I happy? Am I doing what I’m passionate about?" The answer should guide your decision
- Stepping back doesn’t mean failure—it could be a necessary move to preserve your mental health and future success.
5. Talk to Your Support Network
- Discuss with trusted adults—parents, school counselors, teachers—who can offer perspective and help explore options like lighter load or mental-health day arrangements.
- You could also take a break or switch to another qualification without long-term penalty.
6. Make an Informed Decision
Stay if:
- You feel supported and can access reasonable accommodations.
- You're committed to manageable goals and have strategies to cope with stress.
Step away if:
- Stress is severely affecting your daily functioning.
- You've tried support options and still struggle.
- You're consistently unhappy, disengaged, or isolating yourself.
Both decisions are valid—prioritizing your mental health is always valid.
✅ Final Guidance
- Your well-being matters more than any academic program. Working hard is important, but not at the cost of your mental health
- If you decide to continue, RevisionDojo offers structured revision planners, mindful study schedules, wellness check-ins, and flashcards to support both success and self-care. It’s designed to help you work smarter, not harder.
🎯 Call to Action
Feeling overwhelmed? Explore RevisionDojo—where academic performance and mental well-being go hand in hand. Build a balanced study routine with smart tools designed to help you thrive—mentally and academically.
