Beyond the H-Index: Introducing the cH-Index™ as a Novel Metric for Measuring Academic Chaos and Burnout

The H-Index has long been used as a measure of academic productivity, but it fails to capture the underlying stress, workload, and mental burden researchers endure. In this study, we propose the Chaos Index (cH-Index™) as a more comprehensive metric, integrating unfinished projects, caffeine dependency, publication status, and psychological distress into a singular value. Furthermore, we introduce a stress amplification factor based on Thumbs-Up Response (TUR™) frequency, revealing the hidden impact of passive acknowledgment on researcher frustration. Our findings suggest that a high cH-Index™ correlates strongly with burnout likelihood and rejection rates, making it a more accurate predictor of academic instability than traditional bibliometric indicators.