It is a good thing to rehabilitate mental patients but the depressed ones must be treated because I know what depression is, I suffered from it from my childhood and it wasn't so good. But truly some mental patients are more creative and can excel in the normal people's world in the fields where they are good at in doing. Support and understanding is what they need.
I think support and understanding is very important for everyone. Medication for mental patients is a complex subject because there are so many differences between people and potentially debilitating long term side effects. Unfortunately it is difficult for many people to afford help for their issues and often times doctors are not really wanting to treat severe mental issues through counseling and just want to leave patients on medication.
I'm glad you are over your depression, I know that can be a real bummer.