It is now very common to see people prescribe medications for themselves for seemingly "minor" ailments such as fever, headache, stomache.
As subtle as it may seem, there are dangers to taking medications without the doctor's prescription.
Many self medicate without being aware of the danger it poses.
You self medicate when you take drugs without a doctor's prescription. Those drugs are often referred to as 'Over the counter' (OTC) or 'non-prescription' drugs. And they easy to obtain as they are found in pharmacies, supermarkets and other outlets. They can also be hawked or sold on the bus or by the roadside.
So why do people self-medicate?
A lot of reasons can account for why people take drugs without the doctor's prescription.
Some could be to reduce the time taken and cost of treatment, others simply trivialize illnesses and see no harm in self-medicating. Quick relief of pain, ignorance, fear of Job loss due to diagnosed disease are other factors that can contribute to individuals resorting to self-medication.
Why you should not self-medicate
Though it may seem right at first as the easiest means of treatment, you need to consider the potential side effects of self-medicating.
Without your intention, self medication can lead to drug addiction, habituation (you find yourself always consuming drugs even when you are not suffering from any ailment). In other words, drug dependence.
Incorrect diagnosis and dosage; without a proper diagnosis, you don't really know what is wrong and if what you are experiencing are signs and symptoms of an underlying disease condition. This results to wrong diagnosis with wrong treatment which can further lead to worsening of the ailment. More severe complications can be disability and premature death.
This is why you must avoid self-medication at all cost.
Surprisingly pharmacists also play a role in self medication. Pharmacists encourage people to buy drugs without the doctor's prescription in a bid to make more money. And sometimes the pharmacist prescribes the drugs. This is wrong practice, the duty of the pharmacist is drug dispensation while the job of drug prescription is left for the doctor.