A couple of people here have mentioned fighting depression without meds. Just wanted to say that despite the PC which puts everyone, including little kids, on mood drugs, I am way on the counseling end of this spectrum.

The medications don't solve the problems that make you depressed. It's not that they don't work, temporarily. Just that they make you dependent without really changing anything in you or in the life conditions that distress.

Does anyone have statistics on what percentage of the population is on these meds? How many school children?

I can share info on self-counseling; I have a library of self-help books, two of the best are "Feeling Good", David D. Burns MD, and "Help Yourself To Happiness", Maxie Maultsby, Jr, MD. Both are probably in your public library.

Please know that this is not a criticism of any of you. You deserve love and understanding and support!