How to cure depression?

[Tempus]

However, every case is different and should be evaluated by a competent professional. In some cases, medication is needed to stabilize a patient so that they can participate in therapy.

I agree. I acknowledge there's circumstances where that's the case. It's not always going to be that someone has the luxury to go for a jog and eat some vegetables for a week, and bam, they're better (or at least on the road to feeling better). Sometimes that just won't work or, as you said, they need to be stabilized first before that (or some other treatment) can begin.

When depression or other mental illness has you by the nuts, it can be damn near impossible to find the willpower to help yourself, or even to believe that you can. It takes time to learn the necessary skills one does not have - and medication can be necessary in the interim.

That's true. Not too long ago I was reading through a diary I used to maintain and came across a section where I acknowledged the path to, uh, wellness, I guess you'd call it, but felt that it was too difficult and too long to endure. What's striking is how lucid it reads - totally sane and sober, not emotional, just devoid of any will or motivation whatsoever. Although I also experienced highs which served as a frightening contrast to the lows. Your point about stabilizing is a good one. I never sought any treatment and eventually (after about a year) the highs and lows evened out, but I'm not sure whether I'd advocate that even though I'm personally happy I did things that way. Were it someone else or slightly different circumstances things could have easily ended in a suicide or something worse.