Shocking Facts about Self Medication you need to know

Self medication has become the order of the day for both the young and the old, the learned and the unlearned. This can really be dangerous as people who indulge in it tend to suffer various effects. Self medication is a term that describes the use of drugs by an individual without the recommendation, prescription or supervision of a medical practitioner. It is a form of drug abuse. So if you think you don't abuse drugs, and you indulge in self medication, then you have to rethink.

People all over the world engage in self medication for one reason or the other. Now, let us look at a few of these reasons:

1. Lack of fund: it is no doubt that the unavailability of money is the chief reason behind self medication. When someone falls sick, it is only proper that such a person visits the doctor so he/she can be diagnosed and drugs would be prescribed based on the diagnosis. However, this requires money to be executed and those who do not have the money at the time, would result in self medication.

2. Ignorance: although, this should not be a reason, but to some extent, it is. Ignorance is another reason why people indulge in self medication. Imagine a scenario where Mr B experiences the same symptoms experienced by Mr A and takes same recommendation made for Mr A thinking they are both suffering same ailment. It is important to know that many ailments have similar symptoms but are different! One may be suffering from malaria, and another from worm infestation. These two would eventually experience similar symptoms but are the ailments the same? No!

3. Dependency: in some areas, I think drug dependency seems to be the reason why some people engage in self medication. Most persons have gotten so much used to taking some particular drugs that they can't do without taking it in a day. These people may not know, but they are already drug dependent and it is a form of addiction. For instance, when Mr A feels an ache in the head, he takes paracetamol. The next day, he takes it again and so, with time, it will become a normal routine that he has to take paracetamol every day! He doesn't even need the doctor's prescription anymore. This is too bad. It's high time we woke up and embraced reality. As small and cheap as paracetamol is, it's got side effects too! Also, when you take it for headache, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have treated whatever ailment you have. Headache could be a sign of malaria, typhoid, HBP, etc. This is the more reason why you need a medical practitioner for medication and not depending on your self medications.

Check our post for the continuation - Negative Effects of Self Medication.