If you have ever experienced anything remotely close to depression, chances are that you have been assailed by well meaning friends, family members and the world at large to enhance positive thinking. Everyone from Deepak Chopra, and Oprah Winfrey to the friendly next-door neighbour have been telling the world repeatedly that we hold the key to solving all our mental health problems in our own hands. Apparently, by perpetuating positivity, we can wave our magic wands and make depression go away. A slew of motivational and self-help resources, relying more often than not on questionable research, anecdotal evidence and gross extrapolation from and over generalisation of scientific findings offer techniques and strategies to combat depression. Most recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has joined the bandwagon, tweeting a poster advocating "Think Positive", a strategy along with some others that to help combat depression. However, there are multiple problems with this approach. The first and most obvious flaw lies in the assumption that one can combat depression alone. It is a surprisingly glaring error that amidst the multiple strategies advocated in the poster, seeking help from a trained mental health practitioner is conspicuously absent. India harbours seemingly insurmountable taboos against the mentally ill already when by all accounts mental health problems are on a steep rise. The poster sends out a dangerous message: Depression can be coped with without resorting to medication or therapeutic interventions. An analogy would be asking a diabetic individual to exercise and control diet for disease management with no allusions to medical care. The simple idea that the mind is just as organic as a heart or a liver or a lung, something that needs care, gets diseased if neglected or exposed to specific hazards, and therefore, requires treatment is something that Indians are overwhelmingly refractory to. While no one can rationally deny the lifestyle changes recommended are well intentioned, and have overall health benefits, they can augment, not replace targeted treatment to clinical depression.