I am 66 years old and have suffered from chronic depression all of my life. Unfortunately, I was not diagnosed until I was in my early 50's. My parents never believed in therapy of psychiatrists. Once the diagnosis was made, and the right medication found, I was in control for the first time! It is hard to put into words the difference it made for me. I underwent about five years of therapy; however, my psychiatrist said that my depression was definitely a chemical imbalance. (He was sure of this because my first attempt at suicide was when I was ten years old.)
I'll be on medication for the rest of my life, but it is a small price to pay for how much I enjoy life now. My cup is always half full (and sometimes brimming)! Before I was extremely irritable, cried very easily, and as my daughter said "I just lost it frequently". She often comments about "Mom before medication." I never knew how much it affected her. An example I like to use is -- Before medication if I dropped a glass of milk, I would sit down and cry. Now, if a drop a glass of milk I might say a swear word , but I just clean it up and go on with my life!
I hope I can help other people with depression. Depression is loosing the stigma it used to have, but I know there are still many people that feel you should "pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get on with it". (My mother's favorite saying.) Unfortunately, that's often not possible. I have already helped my brother realize that he, too, had depression, and his wife says that he is a wonderful husband now that he is on medication.