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Well, a friend of mine's been going through some serious depression, and I've seen the benefit antidepressants and counselling can do, so I can't really criticise them, so long as you don't form a dependancy on them.

i think counsiellers are impoirtant because everyone needs a neautral and experinced ground one which to talk to someone.

psychologists/psychiatrists are always wary in some ways, because i worry they get too boged down in freud etc, which might be unhealthy. so it depends.

i think the problem is getting off the meds once yo've used them for a long time

My step-dad is a psycho-therapist so my opinion will be biased.

I've heard all people say counselors suck balls and they perscribe medicine just to get your out of their office and don't care whether it works or not.
People gotta get their facts right.
Psychiatrists are the ones that perscribe medicine and not all psychologists and therapists like them.
Example, my step-dad hates them because he says they all think they can solve everyone's problem with medication.

So I believe that counseling works as long as you have a good counselor, as DT said a bad one will make you worse.
I've never had any experience with meds nor have I known anyone who has so I can't really say anything about that.
A friend once told me about a friend of hers that was on antidepressents at the age of like 13 and it completely messed up her hormones so she'll most likely not be able to have a child later in life. (she's about 20 now)

I'm against the idea but sometimes they work wonders for people when they're perscribed in the right doses.

I am studying to become a psychologist. I'm upgrading my math atm but so far from what i've learned, only use medication as a last resort. Plus don't just take the medication and be on your way. Medication plus therapy is the way to go if you even consider meds.