Self-medication is a practice that has spread in the general population in recent decades and that often leads to a series of health problems and dangers.
We can define self-medication as the tendency to self-administer all types of drugs without the supervision, prescription or intervention of any doctor or medical professional.
It is common to self-medicate to treat minor problems such as headache or fever; However, to treat more serious problems such as some diseases, we must avoid self-medication, since this can endanger our health in multiple ways. So let’s see What are the risks associated with the practice of self-medication?
To avoid the proliferation of this type of practice, below we will see what the main dangers of frequently self-medicating are.
1. Make a mistake by confusing drugs
One of the main dangers that people who self-medicate may face is the fact of making a mistake when confusing one drug with another
This happens, sometimes, assuming that the box of pills at home is the type of medication we need for our particular ailment, albeit under another brand name.
Taking a specific medication believing it is what we need and actually using another can have truly negative consequences for our own health, in addition to exposing ourselves to possible side effects that the drug may cause.
To prevent this from happening, we must heed the instructions of a qualified doctor, who will always prescribe the best option for our case, clarifying their names, if there is more than one.
2. Getting the recommended dose wrong
All medications must be administered in a certain way so that its active ingredient has the specific effect on a particular person taking into account their particular characteristics (for example, their sex or age).
People who self-medicate usually ignore this basic rule and usually make mistakes with the administered dose of a particular medication.
This results in an increased risk of poisoning when a higher dose than recommended is consumed or a decrease in the effect of the active ingredient if the dose is too low, leaving the disease untreated.
3. Increased risk of allergic reactions
Poorly administered medications can cause allergies that are very dangerous for our health if they are not prescribed by a doctor, which is why it is so important to always have the corresponding prescription for each drug we are going to consume.
Sometimes It may happen that we do not remember allergic reactions in the past and we use a medication that causes that particular allergy, something that can seriously put our health at risk. Therefore, health professionals take into account our past allergic reactions.
4. Increased risk of side effects
Taking a medication incorrectly, that is, without the supervision of a medical professional, can increase the chances of experiencing side effects. It must be taken into account that practically all medications can generate these unwanted effects to a greater or lesser extent, so the medical indications are adapted to the best ways to minimize risks and stop treatment if such problems arise
A side effect can be, for example, taking pills that can cause stomach ulcers without having eaten anything before, drowsiness or the risk of developing hepatitis.
5. The chances of developing an addiction increase
Another of the most common dangers of taking a medication for yourself is the increased risk of developing an addiction to said drug, since many of them can have this effect on the body in the long run. This occurs especially with psychotropic drugs or other products that have the ability to modify the functioning of our brain
The supervision of a specialized doctor will ensure that we take the appropriate and corresponding dose, necessary to avoid any type of addiction to said drug.
6. Drug resistance
Frequent or incorrect use of certain medications makes it easier for the pathogens they are supposed to combat to develop resistance to the drugs.
This means that medications no longer have any effect against the disease they are supposed to treat, or this is greatly minimized something that can happen very easily if we take any drug indiscriminately and without supervision.
7. Interactions with other medications
Some medications can lose their effect when interacting with other drugs that the person may be taking or when coming into contact with certain foods or drinks.
This is something that must be taken into consideration whenever we take any medication and that we can hardly take into account without having a professional prescription from a doctor who knows our case perfectly.
8. Masking of other diseases
The administration of non-recommended drugs by anyone can also mask other serious diseases that may not be detected by health professionals.
