Let me add to those 5 responses which may I add include a redditor calling op's mother a child abuser and to run away from home... I am not a Dr. so I'm unable to go into the "sientific proof" but I have suffered from depression nearly all my life.
There are some medications that can be addictive, there are some that work right away such as prozac and some that can take 10 weeks to work. My aunt is a psychiatric nurse and when I was hospitalized at 16 she advised me to refuse prozac, valium and ativan and ask for something else if they were perscribed.
The reason I was hospitalized? I was seeing a psychologist who my headmaster suggested after he brought me into his office because he saw that I was unwell. At the time I had my suicide planned out for several months, did the psychologist help, not a bit. She talked at me the whole time and that all my issues were "normal for a teenager". They were not and then when my closest brother who I had confided in about my plans and where I was going to go, killed himself in "my place" it all became too much.
My aunt brought me out and got me drunk so I would talk and sat me down with mother the next day and convinced me to see my GP who got the ball rolling. I was not forced to go into hospital, I agreed because they said it was to be able to monitor the meds more efficiently. I ended up there for 9 weeks (voluntarily) and it was the best thing that could have happened for me.
Now, mental illness is not a headache that you can just take a paracetamol for. It is different for each individual even if they have the same illness. Some meds work for some and not for others, yes they can produce some side effects but they disappear after a few days to a week. In my case I've always been prescribed SSRIs except for one time, where I was given prozac (which seemed to produce an instant buzz for the want of a better word) and after taking a few of them stopped cos of what my aunt said previously.
My point is coming from someone with years of experience of a few different meds and a LOT of different therapists (which are the same as meds, some work for some and not for others).
I had another breakdown in October and was going to end it by throwing myself under a train. By this time I had stopped cooking, showering, brushing my hair and my anxiety was at an all time high. I couldn't even leave my house because of the terror.
My partner convinced me to go to my Dr. when I was in full "whats the point, all I am is a burden" mode because I'd started having dreams where I was freed after dying and it scared him.
My Dr was lovely as always and sent me straight to the hospital to be prescribed with more suitable meds. I was certain I'd be hospitalized again but they just asked my partner if he could take a week off work so he could basically be on suicide watch.
It took a few months of slowly upping the dosage of the anti-depressant and now I feel great. No more suicidal thoughts, the most of the anxiety is gone and I'm well enough to start taking care of myself now. I have another different psychologist now who I seem to be making progress with, my CBT was great too, it just didn't work for me.
I agree 100% with you about talking, You absolutely need to talk to a professional when you're depressed. And not everyone needs meds to be able to make that first appointment. But they have saved my life on two different occasions, and have worked for my sister and 2 of my brothers. And my close brother would still be here too if he had just waited til his appointment, unfortunately he killed himself 5 days before his appointment in the same hospital that I ended up going to.
That's proof enough for me.