I was always taught that antidepresants are not meant to be used as a sole source of alleviation for depression. That they only really have genuine impact if used in conjunction with other behavioural and thought therapy processes. The idea of the medication is to get a person back to a semblance of normalacy enough in the short term for the underlying issues to be treated.

****I will assume that the article was talking specifically about generalised depression, and not bi-polar I or bi-polar II, which in many individuals mood stabilising drugs are often a complete nessecity in any treatment regime; and removal of said mood stabiliser can result in behaviours and thought processes in an extremely detrimental fashion, much the same as taking away the medication of patients with other mental disorders not related to depression.****

The suggestion that other techniques and therapies are important for treating (I will not say 'curing' as many types of depression do-not / can-not be cured just continually treated) is a very valid truth. Exercise is one of the most benifical things a depressed person can do for themselves. As are other cognitive behavioural therapies. None of the psychologists or psychiatrists I know would prescribe or work with a treatment plan which included drugs without suggesting these other treaments as a major conponent of the plan. Drugs are not and should not be used in isolation. The only times I have heard of patients being perscribed drugs without other follow through treatments, have been through their GP's, who (quite frankly) do not appear to have a geniune understanding of this type of mental illness.