Hi exquistered, thanks for your post! This is such an important topic.
I for one am a dually diagnosed recovering alcoholic/addict. My co-morbid diagnosis is major depression, for which I was recently hospitalized. Depressive diagnoses may be common these days, but it is nothing to f*ck around with.
My antidepressant not only relieved my depressive symptoms such that I was not longer an immediate suicide threat (and getting better all the time), it actually quells my cravings for drugs/alcohol/cigarettes! I can firmly say that without this assistance, I would not have made it. I have tried so many times, and the urges were too much for me. I feel like this particular antidepressant is a miracle drug that makes my recovery possible, on every front.
Now, not everyone has this reaction to this particular med, but my point is that not every drug is created equal. I hope you will learn to see the distinction between those drugs that help you and those that harm you. Often, the distinction can be made for dosage and indication, also.
Depression can be life-threatening. Think about it - you rely on your brain for everything. If it isn't working properly, and such that you have no motivation for life itself, that is a dire problem.