I recommend to anyone to never use ssri or snris. Thb and those are really the only medications any doctor will prescribe for long term depression treatment. I feel the best way is to you something for short periods to help through the hardest times(i mean pretty bad not like, "oh im having a bad day" ). I think anxiety meds, things like tianeptine, supplements, and last resort marijuana to get through slcertian situations, untill you can cope on your own is best.Certainly, those who NEED medicine should take it. A chemical balance needs to be treated, and if it is something you can cope with during normal situations many people try but in a real moment of loss it becomes important to do so in order to keep the person from a downward spiral. My wife is BiPolar Type 2, so I am quite used to what happens if things are allowed to spiral out of control.
I went down the antidepressants road, because of doctors making me. Let me just tell you they are awful drugs with drastic side effects, alter how you think but not what you think, so all the negative thoughts are still there but you get there differently. They make building muscle impossible.
I might be biased and not everyone will have my experiences, but i thought i should put this out there. The reason why i might be different, is i wasnt born with depression, anxiety, or any other disorders that i have. I developed them from concussions.