There is real science behind antidepressants. I will spare you the whole neurotransmitter discussion... they work and their mechanism of action is well known and studied. Some people can't beat depression without them, some can.
That's awesome myhead, that you were able to beat depression without medication!! I was too, but looking back, antidepressants may have helped my through the very rough patch I had at about a year's sobriety... I'm like you are, I try to stay away from them... but there are plenty of folks for whom, when used properly, antidepressants can be a life saver.
Genetics are not the only thing that create a chemical imbalance... stress, grief, loss..