I'd join, but I suppose I was lucky, I found the right therapist for me and had friends that understood what I was going through, depression can be dealt with in a better fashion if you've got those sorts of things around you.
I didn't have the most supportive family, in fact, the only person that did support me was my mother, no one else did though, grandparents, father, cousins, just my mum and about 3 friends, sort of feels like the whole world is out to get you really.
I was lucky enough to find a way past it, it's not a permanent illness, it's only permanent if you let it be permanent, the only way that it can stay with you is if you let it rule your life, I worked that out a long time ago, it sounds simple enough, but take it from someone who knows, don't let depression run your life and you'll eventually get past it, it doesn't matter how long it takes, so long as you never give in to it.