My non-expert impression is that antidepressant drugs, therapy, and exercise are each about equally effective against depression but whether they work or not va

My non-expert impression is that antidepressant drugs, therapy, and exercise are each about equally effective against depression but whether they work or not varies from one person to the next. So, it's worth trying therapy and exercise first if you're averse to medication. But if the other two aren't working it's worth trying medication as well. Side effects vary wildly depending on the drug and the dosage and the person taking them. Many have mild side effects, or moderate side effects that are temporary until you adjust to them. (Apparently a large portion of the serotonin in the human body exists in the digestive tract. So, SSRIs can cause nausea if you're not used to them because they're affecting the digestive tract directly, which is normal and goes away.) As usual, consult a real doctor about these questions.