No, I am aware and I'm sorry to hear about your condition but why would you assume that I do not understand because I disagree with the concept of choosing medication over therapy? I fully understand some people never escape the scars of childhood and the limits of a sometimes cruel physical world in which they feel so out of place. That aside I think that people should be much more cautious than they are about letting themselves be medicated. Depression is a survivial mechanism, it indicates when something is wrong in your life, your behavior, or thinking. I went through a period of depression when I was a teenager, I felt out of place and alone after a few sessions a doctor wanted to put me on medication. He said I responded to their questionnaires like some tramatized Vietnam Vets he had treated. I took it for a bit but I did not like the way it made me feel. I felt detatched and that was the last thing that I wanted. The essence of what was wrong was I was a teenager, I felt isolated even in my own home, and I spent way too much time by myself. My "symptoms" largely dissappeared the more close friendships I developed, the more I got out and found a purpose in life. I still get depressed sometimes but I have yet to get depressed for no good reason and the one thing I know that no matter how down I get that it will indeed pass.
I am happy that you have found relief from your situational depression. Situational depression is a far cry from Major Depressive Disorder.
It is wonderful that you are well and do not have to take medication to function in society. However, not everyone is so fortunate. Do you think that those of us who take medication have not gotten out with friends, interacted with family, and found a purpose for our lives? Rubbish. As I have said before, do some real research.
Paxil $15/month. Psychiarty $100/hour. Scientology $200+/hour.
Paxil works. Talk therapy, both Scn and psy is slow and uncertain.
Do the math.