I ditto your perspective.

When I am deep in depression, all of my mindset is on forcing myself to fulfill the daily requirements of life. "Acting as if" all day (smiling, appearing normal at work) is draining. Being on meds, for me, is using a positive mindset, because I am taking every step I can to get better and I know what my brain needs).

When the depression lifts enough, I can see out of the fog enough to strain my efforts towards a positive mindset, but all the while feeling the depression trying to tug me back down, I have to keep saying "no" to it, like a child constantly pulling on your arm, trying to pull your attention away from what you are doing. I actually see it and feel it as a black swirl at my feet, yanking on my arm for my attention.
When I do have control over it, I resist. But it is insulting to me when people suggest that I should just snap out of depression. I do my best, but that is just not how it is for me. For me.

So, for me, When I can do it, I work at a positive mindset. I am on meds and I need them to even get close to being out of depression.