Self-medication and its Impact on Human Health

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to examine the trend of self-medication, evaluating its use, drawbacks and motivations behind its use. People were questioned about their background and conditions for which they used drugs/medicines in several studies. Complicated lifestyles, hectic routines, cultural norms, expensive medication, over-confidence, lack of education, selling non-prescriptive pharmaceuticals, and the absence of government checks contribute to the trend of self-medication. People largely relied on self-diagnosis and only went to professional doctors when they had serious problems. Over-the-counter medications were preferred for basic ailments such as fever, headache, flu, etc. People with greater education were more likely to self-medicate because they relied on their own expertise and had easy access to the drug markets. The countermeasures for self-medication involve the services of Professionals and Pharmacists, promoting the responsible use of self-medication and spreading awareness about its risks are the key steps to reduce adverse impacts of self-medication.