How much did getting medicated help you to break the cycle?

Genuine question for those of us who have never tried meds, how much did getting medicated help break the barrier/cycle of feeling like you can't move forward in life? How well did it bridge the gap between wanting to make progress but feeling like it is out of reach due to symptoms?

Especially things like getting a job, learning to drive, taking care of health, finishing out education, etc.