Thank you everyone for contributing to this thread. It has taught me so much! And thank you Little Turtle for starting it!
I am a psychologist working with depression on a daily basis and also as you have described Little Turtle within a very cruel and uncaring system. So I will add my 2 cents' worth. I hope it can be useful.
I have often felt that I should not be working with people who are struggling mentally and psychologically because I am a depressive myself. I have learnt though that precisely because of my illness I can be useful. It has taught me understanding, humility and love. When I look back on what I was like when I was 30 years old I can see that I was not at all qualified to do the job. I thought that I had the answers. Now I know that the answers are listening with love and sharing. Like what we are doing here for each other. That is where the healing lies.
Healing does not always mean being free of whatever illness you have, but it means to share and love and not to judge.
Once again Little Turtle, thank you for sharing your professional experiences. The world of psychiatry is covered in a cloak of secrecy and matters are not discussed honestly.