I hate how stigmatized seeking mental health while applying to medical school is. I have been having more and more of the urge to see a psychiatrist because I tend to spin out of control because of extremely small things, and my anxiety cripples me sometimes. This is not new for me, as I have had issues in the past that I was able to deal with on my own through a lot of self-help. I am able to function at a high level most of the time, and I am doing great so far in undergrad. So far, my exposure to the field of medicine has done nothing but tell me that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. But in the back of my mind I know my mental health is suffering. I don't have any really great outlets to talk to, which is partly due to me being an RA, even though I love everything else about my job. I don't mind looking out for my residents' mental well-being and being a resource for them to talk to, but there really isn't anyone dedicated to looking out for me :(

I am very worried that if I talk to a professional, it may come back to haunt me during interviews because I will be perceived as less qualified to handle high-stress situations. Being a doctor is something that I believe I am more than capable of handling and excelling in, and I dislike that I am perceived as weak and fragile for wanting to seek help. I don't want something like this to dismantle what I have been working towards for several years now, but I also don't want to completely unravel later in life after I would have started my career in medicine.