I've dealt with most of my mental issues on my own - a great deal of the support I've had has actually come from my friends here on deviantART. [if you're reading this, THANK YOU!].

However - when my mental state was at it's worst, while I didn't have much of a steady support system around me - resources were very crucial and important to me. I've never been one to go for medicine over natural cures, mental exercises and "working it out", but when I finally searched for help at the lowest, I found that finding a decent counselor was the most important part. Someone who would listen to what I was actually saying and hear what I wasn't.
I think sometimes when you're suffering advice is probably the worst thing someone can give. A hug, a shoulder, a walk... those things helped me. Advice, advice just made me angry. It was like "yes, I know I need to just 'push through'" and "oh, I know there are brighter days, but today I can't seem to get out of my bed so..." or "why don't you try some medication" as though I was unaware of the existence of help out there. So when I found the counselor I had, as well as my family physician had a great deal in understanding my wishes and helping me find what I needed to get through.

It took me a while to find a counselor though, that was a struggle of it's own. It's finding someone you trust to help you with therapy. That actually wants to help even after you tell them their "traditional methods" won't work and/or will be refused.

I'm not sure I'm answering your question the way you were thinking, but it's what came to mind upon thinking about it :hm: