The seemingly harmless yet extremely prevalent act of treating physical or mental illnesses without seeking medical advice by purchasing over-the-counter medications or nutritional supplements is called Self-Medication . It has become a norm on the global level for self-medication, ranging from 11.2% to 93.7% depending on the population and country.
Why do people Self-Medication ?
Waiting in long queues, high healthcare costs, easily available medicines in chemist shops as well as lack of awareness are a few of the factors that influence people’s decision to self-medicate.
When it comes to mental health issues, there is a stigma attached to them. Many patients do not want to go to a doctor and get medication prescribed to them. According to WHO, 1 person in every 8 people in the world are living with a mental disorder. It was also observed that the cases got worse during COVID for there was a 26% and 28% increase in anxiety and major depressive disorders.
How is it harmful to the body?
When asked Dr. Arun Sood, Rtd. Medical Officer, about the side effects, said, “People usually adopt this approach because in most of the cases there is no immediate side-effect. Sometimes, a medicine might react immediately but in most cases, it happens over some time. Therefore, people resort to sharing the same prescription.” Pediatrician Mr. Sood has been working in this field for 30 years. The negative effects “appear later when the problems exacerbate,” he continued, adding that. Patients should discuss their medical history with the doctor so that the appropriate medicine combinations can be prescribed.
From overuse of unnecessary drug consumption to misdiagnosis, self-medication can be extremely harmful to the human body. It has been proven time and again that careless consumption of antibiotics has contributed to human pathogen resistance to antibiotics.
According to World Health Organisation, antibiotic resistance is a major threat to global health and food security. Infections like pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, and salmonellosis are becoming harder to treat as antibiotics prescribed to patients have become less effective over a period of time.
Incorrect diagnoses
Misdiagnosis can have long-lasting side effects. When asked about the harmful effects of self-medication, Dr. (Prof) Dipanjit Singh Sekhon (MDS) said, “One can choose the wrong antibiotic that won’t work in the particular condition. One can simply misdiagnose a tumor growth for an ulcer or a white lesion indicative of oral cancer as something trivial and try home remedies.” He also added that there is “no substitute for proper professional consultation. Health is very important and cannot be taken lightly.”
Overconsumption of drugs can lead to drug resistance
It is essential to understand the dosage of every drug. Self-administering drugs can cause psychological stress, digestive problems, weakened immunity, antibiotic resistance, and so on. Severe problems can crop up in the body when there is drug interaction for every medicine reacts in a different way and can have an adverse effect.
Dr. Amitinder Dhaliwal, a professional physiotherapist, says “when it comes to joint aches and muscle pain, a whole lot of patients treat them very casually at home. Fake home remedies on the internet, and administering pain killers on a daily basis is something that, we, as doctors would never recommend. Pain killers can cause long term damage to kidneys, so we understand the history of a patient before prescribing them.”
Can lead to substance dependency
Patients suffering from mental problems have to be extremely careful with medication. Self-administering opioids, stimulants and anti-depressants can have a severe adverse effect on human psychology for it can mask bigger problems that can be very difficult to treat later on. Mixing dosages in such cases can cause seizures, strokes, and heart failure among others.
Mitigating the side effects of Self-medication
When asked Dr. Sekhon he said, “First and foremost, spreading awareness about the harmful effects of drug interaction is a must. Unnecessarily delaying can cause the symptoms to worsen. Therefore, the right action at the right time can help.”
Consult a doctor for the correct diagnosis, and “abstaining from discontinuing an ongoing treatment just because the symptoms have subsided are some of the ways in which we can ensure correct consumption of medication.”
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