As it is often easier to avoid the cost and hassle of visiting a doctor and so the use of over-the-counter medications in order to alleviate the symptoms of a certain illness.
Self medication has become a thing of threat to our world. In country like ours, it is quite how funny how many doctors we have available at our response compared to the self medicated doctors around. Quite much?
We are in a world where we are vulnerable to deaths by certain illnesses and diseases and so in order to keep the fight and protect ourselves we work with medications. Ranging from mild illnesses to larger ones, these medications have an active part to play in our lives. For almost every illness or disease, there are several medications to manage or treat these problems.
I have once heard someone said, “I don’t visit hospitals anymore, so far I know the cause of my illness, I know what to take and I would be fine”. Gone were the days when prescription lists would be needed for an individual to purchase drugs. These days, even a 10 year old could purchase drugs from pharmacies without prescriptions.
Self medication as it implies is the self prescription and purchase of drugs and other health aids for the treatment of a certain self recognized illness or disease.
The major reason people prefer self medicated drugs is because of the fear they have for doctors and hospitals and also the easier access of drugs with a lower cost to treating a particular illness. Also, some individuals tend to hide their current condition in plain sight.
The Dangers of Self Medication
Since the individual prescribing drugs for consumption is not a professional, he or she could endanger himself or herself. The dangers of self med includes:
- Repetition of Drugs
- Inaccurate diagnosis
- Unknown side effects of certain medications
- Accidental Overdose
- Drug abuse
- Risk of addiction
- Mixing of medications that are not safe to be mixed
- Death in some cases
Medical doctors have been trained to accurately diagnose an ailment and administer the appropriate medication to treat a particular condition, and for this cause, self medication should not be tolerated. If you or your loved one is experiencing a certain illness, it is therefore advised you visit the hospital.
Do not self medicate; rather consult a medical professionals. Self medication kills!
