Quick thoughts:
After reading the third book once again, I have come to believe that Lupin and his werewolf tendencies are a statement about mental illness. I've come to this conclusion after weighing the different ways society treats him. Afraid that he might lose control or miss his medication (potion), society backs down from offering him jobs or interacting with him in any way. Instead, Lupin is treated as a second-class citizen that no one knows how to deal with. In order to keep his mental faculties, Lupin must take a potion that's medicinal value keeps him from losing all control. This parrallels well to someone who does suffer from mental illness having to rely on medication to keep them "normal" and alert to the social world.
Note: In the comments, Sarah mentioned the stigma from mental illness and that is exactly where I wanted to go with this. Way to go folks. Don't forget to visit the forum as well to talk about your own Harry Potter theories!
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