1. A method for mitigating thermal degradation in a portable computing device (“PCD”), the method comprising: determining with an element separate from a processing component that a power frequency associated with the processing component positioned within the PCD is substantially zero, wherein current remaining on a power rail associated with the processing component may correspond to a presence of a leakage current, the processing component comprising a computer processor; measuring the leakage current on the power rail associated with the processing component; based on the measured leakage current, determining a thermal status of the processing component; and based on the thermal status of the processing component, enacting thermal management policies to prevent thermal degradation of the processing component.