When we choose a medication for a long-term chronic condition, we are saying the potential benefit outweighs the potential risk - i.e. the quality of my life is so poor without it that the risk of even death is worth it. Sometimes we feel we have no choice, simply because we do not know more benign choices exist, or because the benign alternatives are also unacceptable because of lack of funds ($$$ - insurance may pay for something riskier rather than the benign), or our own inherent human weaknesses (such as a person with type 2 diabetes not exercising).