depression is a biological condition which affects the psyche not the other way around
I think a lot of people don't realize this, and think it's just "feeling bad" or whatever. When you look at mental health as being as serious and important as physical health, you realize the suggestion that "the gym works way better" is not really a valid statement.
Problem is that, doctors are prescribing hard drugs, to what amounts to an emotional hangover.
I agree with you on this, but to be fair, I think it's important that patients take responsibility for their own health as well, and tell their doctor that they'd like to be conservative with medication. I've been dealing with depression for a LONG ass time, and while I've been fortunate/patient to find other ways to manage it (because I didn't want to find myself addicted to anything or unable to function without it), more severe cases require a more aggressive approach. It is, after all, a chemical problem determined by genetics, not just "I'm having a bad day."
People often speak up for themselves with regard to other aspects of their health. For example, some harmless (BUT OBSTRUSIVE) ovarian cysts manifest themselves in older women, and the doctor's first suggestion will be surgery or anti-estrogens. Surgery is FUCKING CUTTING YOU OPEN, and anti-estrogens can cause osteoporosis in women, so the smart thing to do, assuming the woman is old enough, would be to WAIT IT OUT and let menopause do the work. If a woman asks her doctor about this, they'll say "of course, yes, that will probably solve the problem," but no doctor ever suggests this conservative treatment first.
My point is merely that we can blame the doctors for being aggressive and constantly pushing drugs or whatever lines their own pockets, but we also have to take responsibility for never questioning their judgment. At the end of the day, these are OUR bodies.