Self Medication Pros and Cons

[Jasmyne]

Even if you go to the doctor and get diagnosed with an illness. They will also prescribe painkillers and antibiotics for you.
You dont need to see a doctor for just a mild headache or a slight fever, you can absolutely buy medicine and take it yourself. However, if your condition does not improve and gets worse, you should see a doctor.
So, the problem is not self medicating itself, but the fact that many people abuse painkillers excessively and carelessly. They refused to see a doctor even after self-treating and repeatedly changed medications on their own, even when their condition didnt improve.

Self medication isn't always the issue most people treat minor problems at home first, but the real danger begins when individuals keep guessing mixing drugs increasing dosage or ignoring symptoms that clearly need medical attention  a simple headache today can lead to something more serious tomorrow if it's consistently covered  up with painkillers instead of being properly observed by doctors.

How most people become their own doctor now is surprising that when they get ill from a particular sickness without consulting a doctor or going through a proper test, they just take medication because when they had that same symptoms before, the illness disappeared after taking that same medication, so they believe taking same medication anytime the illness comes back is the solution. What they don’t understand misuse or abuse of medication does is that, sometimes it causes reoccurring illness. That particular illness might keep reoccurring because it was not properly treated the last time, so the medication taken might just help it calm for a while and then it comes back again. Proper health test is always required so one can know the level of that particular illness, yes it might happen to be that, that particular medication you’re taking might help but testing and knowing the level of that illness is important, because there might also be some other supporting medication or treatment that would be added to the previously owned medication to help eradicate that illness from your body.
So consultation from a doctor, proper health test and checkups are always important because this will help aid to know which medication is suitable for your body or could help for your illness.

[Dunamisx]

People don't know that their side effects to taking self medication, is not about them taking it, but using the right prescription and also taking the right medication, we cannot deny that some are using wrong prescription to what is actually wrong with them, and this is part of the consequences to ignorance because they don't know what they stand to get exposure to as a result.

[Callido]

People don't know that their side effects to taking self medication, is not about them taking it, but using the right prescription and also taking the right medication, we cannot deny that some are using wrong prescription to what is actually wrong with them, and this is part of the consequences to ignorance because they don't know what they stand to get exposure to as a result.

Emphasis on the use of anti-drugs, especially anti-bacterial, which later form resistance. I have seen cases when someone is resistant to more than 8 classes of antibacterial drugs, among several causes of resistance, self-medication with the wrong class of drugs can be a major problem and reason why the drugs don't work.

[LOVER BOY 422]

You are right in this your thread, is also to remind many folks about medication how vital it is in human health, their is an adage that said that health is wealth, if you can't take adequate care of yourself their will definitely be an issues in time to come due to your health, rich people don't joke with their health because they have their personal doctors who do check them up regularly because regular check up is the way forward to a good healthy living , because once you go for check up the physicians will give you directives on the kinds of drugs ,foods you will buy and take at home , and them on their part they will treat you very well, this is the more reasons why our folks should be going for immediate check up at all times , checking of BP and other health issues is a necessity,  is to know the state of your health if you can work with it or you rest for some times , weather poor or rich are not to refused not being checked because is the best way of happy living.

Self meditation is very wrong no doubt about that but yet again lets us all be realistic with our self even if it's just for once... There are some folks out their who finds it very difficult to even afford 3 square meals, some sleep under bridge due to the inability of securing a decent home, some even have homes yet don't have the financial resources of taking care of themselves or their family.... And most folks here are victims for one or more of this challenges that I listed above.... So my question to you is that- How to you expect such a person to go for regular check up? Medical facility and care is very expensive, some medical facility sef are so inexperienced and unprofessional, so at time I really do not blame guys who resort to self meditations...

I remember getting treated for malaria injections in a private hospital that was well know for their medical expertise, some time last year... After the injections I barely could walk and sit properly for months, coz the nurse who claim to be very good at what she does, happened to inject me on the wrong part of my butt... So in this case I didn't self medicate myself yet I wasn't treated well....

While I understand you perfectly, that's the reason for the self meditation thread it help us to treat our selves at home and get better ever after, self meditation is not bad actually and it's really helpful the poor masses rather than the rich once because they have the money to go to any kinds of hospitals for good medication, where as the poor once can't even get good meal talk more of going for a good hospital for good medication, it can't be , I think that' is the essence of self meditation, one can easily treat him or her self at home and gets better.

[Iranus]

Emphasis on the use of anti-drugs, especially anti-bacterial, which later form resistance. I have seen cases when someone is resistant to more than 8 classes of antibacterial drugs, among several causes of resistance, self-medication with the wrong class of drugs can be a major problem and reason why the drugs don't work.

Even if it is not an antibiotic or an antibacterial drug. Even anti-inflammatory or treatment medications, if used for a long time or abused without a doctor’s prescription, can lead to drug resistance and make future treatment more difficult.

Medicines are not something that can be used daily or for a long period, regardless of the type. Because fundamentally, most medicines are produced or refined through laboratory, industrial, and chemical processes. They are never good for our bodies, which is why we are only prescribed to use them when we are ill.

By the way, this also applies to dietary supplements. It is also not something good for our bodies if it is abused, as manufacturers advertise.

[Vod]

pros: might work

cons: death

That sounds... encouraging.  We all die but a chance is worth more than no chance. 

[DYING_S0UL]

I am from a country in which the majority of the population is not covered by health insurance or any insurance at all. All of it because of the lack of money and financial stability, that is why there are millions here in Venezuela who resort to self-medication when there suffer from some sickness or illness, also it is well known that here in Venezuela who can get a lot of drugs without having to present a receipt from a doctor in order to get pills like anti-depressants, pain killers or even pills which are supposed to be used to help with sleep problems, like insomnia.

Health insurance? What's that?

If you ask any common folk from my country, I believe they would answer the same. We kinda have a similar situation like yourself.

The term isn't commonly spoken among the general people. We lack a lot of things here. I do hear about Life insurance from time to time, but a lot of recent news shows that, these aren't any reliable and often delay giving customers funds, or confiscate or scam. This is one of the places after banks, where I would never consider spending a dime. Also, we don't see any promotions regarding this (health, life) in TV or anywhere, people often are really unaware. Like I had to google search it just now..it is a thing for the rich, unfortunately I don't belong to that group. Here also, most of the time, most of these drugs, can be Purchased from a drug store, without any prescription as you said.

pros: might work

cons: death

This seems reasonable... in fact, we're living off that "might work" fix. Can't afford pros..