I've had my battles with depression, and while I was able to get through it without needing medication (counselling was helpful in my case), the one about taking medication really hit home for me. Maybe it's because I'm heavy into the yoga/all natural/DIY world where people make off-handed statements like that all the time. Or maybe even because, as a member of the yoga/all natural/DIY world, I've thought or said things like that myself.
It is, however, a horrible, insidious lie. A person with a depression may need to take medication for a little while, during counselling, or for the rest of their life, and that's OKAY. End of story. It doesn't matter if you (or you friend, brother, or aunt) were able to get through your tough time without medication, or if you think doctors are over-medicating people. You don't take away medicine from sick people because sometimes people who aren't sick get it by accident. Yes, they are imperfect medications that sometimes have nasty side effects or don't work as well as we would hope. Do not write them off. If a person feels able to live a fulfilled, effective life by taking a pill or two every day, then why on EARTH would you judge them for that?
Also, Robot Hugs appears to be an excellent little comic, so maybe subscribe to it.
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