It has both advantages and disadvantages. Some positive effects of taking medication for depression or mental illness are the ability to better control your emotions when you are stressed. “It replaces the serotonin in your brain that we need to function normally” (Ryan 3). Medication, if taken as needed, “helps you feel positive, confident, and powerful” (Goldberg 1). Some of the fears people have about taking medications can prevent them from taking them. Some of these fears include the worry that there is too much reliance on medications and that they will be addictive. These fears are common. Some disadvantages of taking medication for depression are that there are sometimes side effects, including weight gain and loss of energy. Also, sometimes the medicine does not work immediately, it takes a few months to work. One major drawback is that when people immediately stop taking their prescribed medication, they may become increasingly depressed, which can lead to depression. to serious suicidal thoughts and sometimes