Stein Esser
Age: 29
Hometown: Macon, GA
Lived in Atlanta: Since 2006
Atlanta Neighborhood: Cheshire Bridge
Occupation: Health Informatics Consultant
Biggest Turning Point in my Life: Last summer, I realized I needed to change. I was at a low point mentally that affected me in pretty much every facet of my life. When you have depression, it’s kind of like living underwater where the world around you is obscured but the thoughts in your head are amplified. The way I coped with these episodes was to mentally checkout, go on autopilot, and ride it out until I was able to surface to my normal state. But, by mindlessly going through the motions too often, I really felt like I lost my sense of who I was. Even though I am very fortunate to have family, friends, and a very strange little dog here in Atlanta who have all helped me over the years (whether knowingly or unknowingly), I recognized that I needed to make more of an effort to grow and get out of my comfort zone. I wanted to be true to myself but do it in a way where I become more kind, more positive, and more available to others.
