This is just my personal opinion. It is not that I am categorically against anti-depressants. But, when I was "offered" psychiatric consultations and anti-depressants because my physicians didn't know what was wrong with me, I refused to take them. I realized that for them it was the easy way out, but not very constructive for me.

I asked the psychiatrist if she honestly thinks it will improve my medical symptoms. She said-no, I think you are very ill, but it will make it easier for you to deal with it. I asked her- deal with what, the ignorance and arrogance of my treating physicians?

Instead of taking anti-depressants to make it easier for me to accept this reality, I refused to accept it. Instead, I started learning as much as I can about this illness (from the medical literature, patients and consultations as well as e-mail discussions with leading experts), and continued to search for a physician who would be ready to think and find the best management approach together with me. It was a very long and frustrating journey, with many moments of despair, but had I been in the same situation again, I would have done the same.

Depression is an illness, just like any other illness, it is not a "waste basket" in which you throw anything you don't understand. Being sad, frustrated, angry, anxious and even desperate about being ill and not receiving reasonable treatment is a very normal emotional response, that I personally do not think should be suppressed.