How is depression seen and treated in your country?
Hey everyone. I decided to start this thread because many countries have different working methods and aproaches to mental illness, so I found it interesting!
Where I live - Portugal - I somehow hate how nowdays the issue is handled. There's thousands of people taking antidepressants, yet basically no free support to actually HELP people. No therapy really. Aka: pharmacies win a crap ton money, and patients only are given a temporary "fix".
Now don't get me wrong I'm all for people taking antidepressants. Is something that helps you. However this alone I think is ridiculous. People need therapy, consistent and good quality therapy to at least manage their depression.
I've been faced with this issue myself. Currently I made the decision to not take the meds, simply because therapy has been affective by itself and I've been able to fight quite easily any relpases of depressive moods.
Obviously we're all different, but I think we can all agree meds by themselves really aren't a good fix, right? At least in long term.
Now what about your country? Is it the same as mine? Or do you easily have access to good qualified professionals who insist in consistent therapy?
Let me know!
@Booklover95 Ah first I agree with you about medication, I don't think it's supposed to be a real fix to anything all on its own, it's just supposed to help you get to a point where your symptoms are more easily manageable, and so works muuuuch better when combined with therapy, because once you can actually function with medication, you can use therapy to find ways to actually fight other sources of the struggles, so that it's easier to manage when they come. Therapy helps you find coping methods and to address the underlying issues, and so even that on it's own can be more useful long-term than medication alone. I wish there wasn't so much stigma towards either of them 
I think in Canada, it depends where you are and also what your healthcare plan is like. But, I think overall, therapy seems to be promoted just as much as medication. We have free clinics where people can go if they can't afford therapy (though it's usually only certain hours a week, drop-in basis), we also have 'sliding scale' therapists who will work with your low income and make it work, schools often have free counseling for students, and also many work benefit plans include a certain amount of therapy visits. If you go to the doctor about depression, I think they'd usually not offer just one, but both together (medication and therapy). I know depression and pretty much any mental illness is not stigma free here, there are still some issues surrounding it...but, I think given how other places handle depression, Canada is doing pretty well 
@TaranWanderer
of course! Medication is equally as important. I'm not against medication, in fact I think is a great resource like you mentioned. What I don't agree is not even offering patients the option of therapy, or if they do is very low quality. Instead they shove pills. But obviously if prescribed properly along with therapy I think is a wonderful thing.
Also you're completly right, is very sad how there's so much stigma around these things 
hopefully we can spread awareness and make it seen as normal thing.
Congrats in your country! Canada seems to really be moving forward which is so wonderful to see. Seem's like there you guys pay alot of attention and dedication to people who need it. More countries need to follow you guys as an example (incluiding mine)
@Booklover95 yeah I agree, only offering medication without therapy (or, very poor therapy) is not very helpful! 
(makes it seem like they care more about money than actual mental health :S) I hope things can change in Portugal soon, I think everyone deserves to have access to proper help when they need it.
@TaranWanderer
Exactly. And hopefully yes! At least we have some good examples that we can follow :)