Dealing with Depression and Anxiety as a Graduate Student and the benefits of Reaching Out

I have had low grain long term depression, also known as dysthymia, since I was a student in high school. Along with that was my anxiety which was sometimes so crippling that a tiny mistake seemed like the end of the world. As a physics Ph.D. student now, it is hard to balance taking care of my mental health with the normal stress that comes along with research, teaching, and classes. On top of that, I have many other projects such as being the president of the Georgia Tech Society of Women in Physics, chairing the regional APS Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics, and being Member-at-Large of Forum of Graduate Student Affairs. Taking the first step to care for myself was a difficult one and self-care is a process that continues to be a long and winding one. I will discuss a bit about what has and has not worked throughout the years and how I have been able to manage and be productive despite having depression and anxiety.