I take issue with the assertion that posting to a largely anonymous web forum is a waste of time for a person with a health problem.

Depression is a disease that affects the sufferer's ability to think, especially about him/herself. A person with depression is quite capable of believing that s/he should not seek professional help because the doctor has sicker patients more deserving of medical attention, and the time and money spent on therapy should go to more worthy causes. When a depressed person asks for advice about seeking treatment, the question is often at some level a plea for permission to seek treatment.

Also, it helps a depressed person accept and comply with treatment when others have told him/her that the treatment helped them. The media are full of conflicting advice about depression therapies, especially anti-depressant medications, and it can be very encouraging to hear one voice saying "This worked in this way for me" -- that is, if the voice has nothing to do with the purveyor of the treatment.

Mudcatters come in all shapes, sizes, occupations, ages and personality types. A question to the Mudcat pulls in responses from such a variety of people with such a range of experience that a consistent message in those responses is very convincing.