...I tend to get a bit down/low at times.
I'd strongly caution against bringing up any talk of being "down", "sad" or "low" to anyone affiliated with the AF (or any medical provider for that matter). If you get to the point where you need to talk to someone, look for sources where you can have that conversation off the record (and off the insurance claim history). Military chaplains, faith leaders, school counselors (caution here--make sure they do not log your name), MilitaryOneSource, and some local counselors offer this feature. Generally speaking, if you talk to someone about being down or low,
keep from giving them your name.
Despite what DoD says, I have observed that
having a history of mental health consultations will have an impact on your career. I'm struggling to find the news article, but it wasn't more than a year or two ago where the Army grounded a bunch of aviators for the simple reason that they had sought counseling at some point. It's dirty and it's low, but it's a reality.
I say all this because I have noticed a trend in teens and young adults in this current generation to misidentify heavy stress as some form of mental disorder, or feeling down as "being depressed". When combined with a proclivity towards oversharing and disregard for personal privacy, it is very easy to have a horrible impact on your career.
Words have meanings, and when you use certain words in a conversation with
someone with a reporting requirement, well, your misuse of those words will cause a ton of long-term problems.
Of course, if you ever have thoughts of hurting yourself or others, then you should seek counseling as soon as possible-- regardless of the source.
I'm sure others on here that are in the program will offer more current advice on coping strategies, etc, as you framed in your question. However, it is important to get this warning out there first.