I think calling antidepressants a crutch is an accurate metaphor, but not in a negative way. If you sprain your ankle, you might need a crutch for a month. If you lose your foot in an accident, you might need a crutch for a year, or even the rest of your life. But if I needed a crutch to walk and there was a chance I could learn to walk without it, I would always be working on getting there. That's the same approach I took to the anxiety medication I used to take, and the reason I don't need it anymore.