gwala,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. your perception is shared by many (including me). I have first hand knowledge in psychotherapy both in Nepal and in USA. By psychotherapy I mean counseling by psychologist (or any other trained person). The person who prescribes drugs is psyhchiatrist. It is universally considered that a depressed person needs both medication and counseling for an extended period of time. (Perhaps depression becomes more than a "disease" it may become a habit, like smoking which you want to quit).

I think in USA (or other developed/western countries) psychotherapist/counselors make more money. But in Nepal perhaps you are right there is more money in psychaitry (drugs). And since Nepal (thankfully!) has not become individualistic like USA, an average person can still hope to have support structure (friends/family) to talk to. That is ALL the counseling is for. Here (USA) I go to counseling now and then. The counselor tells me things I already know (I need to study.... make time table to get things done... blah blah blah.... ). many times I feel the counseling session could make me more depressed (I already know what I need to do... still I could/would not do those things). Please correct me if I am wrong but most of the grown-ups may feel that. They KNOW what they need to do, just would not or could not do it. (e.g. need to save money... work hard..... QUIT SMOKING..... eat healthy.... exercise).... "depressed" people consiously or unconsioulsy take these things to heart... and think they are failure and would always remain failure.

Lastly.. gwala.... what is society.... my definition is:  it is you and me + him/her. My humble request is let us understand what "depression" is (and could be) and IS NOT... and talk with others (him/her). Isn't that how we change old perceptions in society. It is so easy to go into depression. (One of my new close friend told me... he thought I would be the last person to be suffering from depression... I guess I have learned to live with depression) I am still not very comfortable telling that I had and still suffering from depression.... far too many people know me by this nick... but what the heck; there are some moments when I feel great that despite having depression, I am doing pretty well.

Thanks for reading. :)

Biswa