White January is a campaign dedicated to raising awareness about mental health, encouraging us to start the year by paying more attention to our emotions, boundaries, and needs.
It is a time to reflect on how we are truly feeling and, above all, to seek support when necessary. Among the most common challenges in today’s routine are anxiety, depression, and burnout.
Anxiety can cause excessive worry, constant tension, and difficulty relaxing. Depression goes beyond sadness: it affects energy, interest in activities, and even the way we see ourselves and the world. Burnout, in turn, results from prolonged stress, especially related to work, and can cause profound physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion.
And to help you take even better care of yourself, we spoke with IRON psychologist Caio Nunes, who answered some essential questions about the topic.
How can we differentiate sadness from depression, and when is the right time to seek help?
“Sadness is a natural emotion, a response to situations that cause temporary discomfort, such as losses, frustrations, or disappointments. It tends to be short-lived and decreases as the person is able to process and accept the experience of having suffered something painful. Therefore, although it can be painful, it generally does not prevent a person from maintaining their daily life and routine.
Depression, on the other hand, involves a persistent state of discouragement, emptiness, or apathy that can last for weeks or months and significantly interfere with personal, professional, and social life. It is characterized by the loss of the natural desire to seek satisfaction and fulfillment, often accompanied by hopelessness about the future, as the person no longer sees possibilities for meaning or improvement.
It is important to pay attention to some signs of depression, such as:
- changes in sleep and appetite;
- constant fatigue;
- lack of motivation;
- feelings of guilt;
- excessively negative self-criticism.
When a state of discouragement persists, there is difficulty finding meaning in one’s own existence, and daily life is affected, it becomes essential to seek professional help. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness; on the contrary, it is an important step toward relieving emotional suffering and getting life back on track,” explains psychologist Caio.
What factors contribute most to burnout today, and how can it be identified early?
“Burnout is strongly related to a context of excessive demands, constant pressure to perform, lack of recognition, and difficulty establishing boundaries between work and personal life.
Today, the feeling of always being available, fear of failure, and emotional overload contribute to this exhaustion. Early signs of burnout may include persistent fatigue that does not improve with rest, frequent irritability, loss of motivation, a feeling of emotional detachment, and decreased performance.
Often, the person continues working, but at the cost of significant internal exhaustion. Observing these signs and taking them seriously is essential because burnout does not appear suddenly; it develops gradually as boundaries in the relationship with work are slowly lost.”
What self-care strategies can really help manage anxiety in everyday life?
“Self-care is an attitude of greater awareness of everyday demands, allowing us to organize our routine so that there is time to invest in activities that are enjoyable and important for overall health.
Organizing routines, respecting rest schedules, and taking care of sleep and nutrition are fundamental for reducing anxiety. In addition, simple strategies such as breathing more slowly, reducing excessive stimulation, setting aside moments of silence, and engaging in physical activity are effective resources for promoting emotional well-being.
From an existential perspective, anxiety tends to decrease when a person can move away from a permanent state of alertness and the pressure to respond to every external stimulus, reconnecting with what truly gives meaning to their life.”
How can we support someone close to us who is showing signs of anxiety, depression, or exhaustion?
“The main form of support is to offer presence and listening without judgment or immediate attempts to provide solutions to the problems the person is facing. Often, those who are suffering already feel misunderstood or pressured to get better.
Showing genuine interest, validating their suffering, and respecting the other person’s pace are fundamental attitudes. It is also important to help the person recognize the need for professional support and, whenever possible, accompany them through this process of seeking help.
This approach can make a significant difference in coping with emotional suffering. Above all, supporting someone means walking alongside them, making yourself available, and showing through your presence that the other person is not alone while going through a painful time.”
