Do you study package inserts before taking a medication?

Pretty much what the heading asks, for me personally I am phobic and have chosen conventional medication as one of my biggest phobias currently. I have a one dose pill sitting in the kitchen waiting to be taken. But after reading, side effects may include seizures, this that and the other, I still haven’t taken it.

So the real question is. How common are the side effects? As there are no stats included of course. Was it one person who had a seizure so they listed it? Or was it most people? I have to take this pill but really it is sitting there like a hairy spider on my counter top! Normally I would break pills into pieces to test them out. I realize this sounds nuts to most people. But this is a capsule. And it seems pretty locked shut.

It would be great if you could give me your thoughts, and even better if a medical person could.

Thank you