What role should medication play in managing emotions like anxiety and depression?

For severe mental illnesses (bipolar, schizoaffective, and schizophrenia primarily), meds are often necessary to stay even keel rather than turning into a psychological shipwreck. For milder difficulties, meds are a stepping stone but not a cure-all. People who benefit the most from meds are people who use meds as an extra tool to allow them to develop the coping skills, support systems, and resources to overcome their challenges. It's like anything; the easy way isn't usually the most helpful in the long run...If you put in the work to heal, meds can help you get there. They just cannot do the work for you.

In regards to medication, they should be used to help you stay afloat, when you feel like you can’t function or have little functioning ability in daily life. When you can’t participate in therapy or cant do helpful techniques (for anxiety, eg relaxation fechniques), medication could have a role in managing your problems. However, medication shouldn’t be relied on forever, and it shouldn’t be the sole thing that helps you. You won’t have to stay on medication forever, just enough to help you stay afloat and participate. :)

It mostly depends on what medication you take. Usually medication lowers your levels of anxiety and depression, it doesn't completely eliminate them. Medication is important, but it shouldn't be the only thing someone relies on. Other ways of coping will vary depending on what works for you.

Not a big role, but if you need those medications then you need them, no need to be ashamed for it..

It really depends on the severity of the symptoms and the patients ability to manage these emotions. I personally know that without medication for my severe depression I would probably be dead now. Think of the principle applied to trauma therapy: first you have to stabilise and treat the symptoms, so you can safely tackle the underlying causes. However I believe that treatment should never solely rely on medication and and that those should be prescribed and administered as little as possible.

That's up for you and your doctor to decide. For some, medications are the only therapy needed, whereas, for others, they merely serve as therapeutic supplements (e.g., in conjunction with CBT).

Medication should lessen the symptoms not completely get rid of them. A big part of depression is also related to relationships with people.

Medicine is a good thing. If you are depressed and you refuse medication and therapy, you are putting yourself at preventable suicide

Medications should only be taken when it is deemed necessary. Please consult first a professional for the right medication to use and I would suggest to try and avoid taking one as much as possible and look for another ways like therapy that could help before deciding to go for medication.

Make sure they are prescribed by a doctor. I would avoid buying unprescribed medicine, to avoid unwanted outcomes.