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If one is depressed, truly depressed and not just sad about real life events, one should see a Therapist. It is not weird, it is literally the way to seek treatment for Depression and other mood disorders.
Exercise has been demonstrated to elevate mood, but as far as I know, not a substitute for medication when dealing with mood disorders. If it worked, myself and many others wouldn't be on meds.
No. A real depressed person should first go to a psychiatrist.
Therapist here. The concept of a "real depressed person" is brought to you by insurance companies (so they can deny coverage), the APA (so they can sell the DSM) and big pharma (so they can sell you drugs). The criteria are arbitrary and often discourage people from seeking help when they don't think their suffering is "real enough." Most therapists I know hate the diagnostic process, but we're forced to do it so your insurance will pay for treatment.
Anyone who's feeling depression that disrupts their lives is welcome to see a psychiatrist, or a therapist, or both. Both types of providers are here to help, and we'll refer you to any additional providers if it's appropriate.
Edit: for a deeper dive into the over-pathologizing of human experiences, I recommend Allen Frances' Saving Normal and Ethan Watters' Crazy Like Us. The latter has a chapter on GlaxoSmithKline's crusade to change Japan's cultural understanding of depression from a natural response to external events, to a pervasive disease that needs treatment (like Paxil!)