MyIQ analysis shows 43% of young users report burnout from self-testing.

Over the past decade, the digital self-measurement industry has evolved from a niche curiosity into a daily ritual for millions. Cognitive tests, personality frameworks, and relationship diagnostics all promise sharper self-understanding in a matter of clicks. But according to a 2025 MyIQ survey of over 20,000 respondents, the rapid-fire pursuit of self-insight may be eroding the very clarity it seeks to deliver.

43% of users aged 18-36 reported a state the platform calls “hyper-introspective fatigue” within a week of receiving their results. It’s not a clinical term, but it captures a growing cultural phenomenon: mental burnout brought on by relentless self-analysis.

62% said their scores led them to question recent life choices, from career moves to relationship decisions. 29% reported a measurable drop in confidence in the three days following their results.

The mechanics of fatigue are easy to trace. A single self-assessment can spark curiosity; multiple tests in quick succession create a feedback loop in which identity feels provisional, contingent on the latest metric. With personality trends dominating TikTok feeds and “brain hacking” tutorials racking up billions of views on YouTube, the temptation to quantify and re-quantify the self is constant.

But there is a deeper shift at play. In a culture where dating algorithms, workplace profiling tools, and targeted advertising all rely on personal data, self-knowledge has taken on a performative edge. The “self” is no longer just lived; it is documented, scored, and broadcast. For some, the result is empowerment. For others, it’s a lingering unease: the sense that they are perpetually under review, even by themselves.

MyIQ’s findings stop short of condemning self-measurement outright. Instead, they point to unstructured and context-free introspection as the root risk. The platform, which blends cognitive testing with behavioural mapping, was designed to offer personalised, situational feedback rather than static labels. Yet its own data shows that even the most nuanced tools can be swept into the broader cultural momentum toward constant optimisation.

The emerging challenge is not whether people should seek to understand themselves, but how. Without frameworks for pacing, integrating, and contextualising personal insight, the self can become an object of scrutiny rather than understanding. And as MyIQ’s numbers indicate, the emotional cost of that scrutiny is already measurable.

About MyIQ:
MyIQ was launched in 2024 and is used by over a million individuals worldwide. It is a digital self-knowledge platform that offers more than an IQ score, with over 9 million completed tests across the various test categories, cognitive, personality, and relationships, all with personalised, actionable insights. The platform offers over 25 brain games, more than 150 intelligence puzzles, over 20 hours of expert video content, and 300+ available lessons on emotional intelligence, problem-solving, innovation, confidence-building, and decision-making. Through its IQ test, full-spectrum personality assessment, and relationship insight quiz, MyIQ delivers structured, personalized feedback that helps individuals better understand their inner world and behaviour.

Media Contact:
MyIQ
pr@myiq.com
Sophie de Villiers
PR Manager