Self-medication seems to be a norm these days. People decide to take whatever medicine they believe is going to make them recover from an illness. They also prefer determining what’s best for them instead of relying on the advice of a medical expert. Some risks come with self-medication. If possible, you need to avoid it. If you feel unwell, and you’re uncertain about the reason, you can start by drinking a glass of water and taking a rest. It helps if you use the Big Berkey filter since it guarantees the cleanliness of the drinking water.

Although it helps to drink water and rest when you’re ill, they not the only ways to help you recover. Self-medication or not doing anything to recover at all could also be risky. These are some reasons why you should avoid self-medication at all costs.

You might not be doing it right

When you self-medicate, you decide to take whatever medicine you believe is appropriate. You also follow pieces of advice related to natural healing. You think that these strategies will make you recover quickly, but they won’t. You run the risk of not following the right procedure, and it could worsen your illness.

Not everything you find online applies to you

You’re confident to self-medicate because you find information online. You believe that it’s enough to help you recover. There are a plethora of options, including health websites, vlogs, and social media accounts that teach you what to do if you’re sick. If you noticed the same symptoms as listed on the site you visited, you might think that similar treatments would work. Imagine if the tactics you tried didn’t work. You can no longer reverse the adverse effects.

Actual medication might not work in the future

One of the most significant risks of self-medication is that you might be misusing the medicines. Take antibiotics as an example. You use them whenever you want even if you can recover in their absence. As a result, the bacteria infecting your body in the future might become resistant to antibiotics. You might have to increase dosage that could have more potent side effects in your body. Worse, the bacteria become resistant with any medication used.

You might have an undiagnosed underlying condition

It’s possible to experience several medical issues at the same time. Even if you only experience the symptoms of one illness, there could be an underlying problem you’re unaware of. If you decided to self-medicate, it could help you recover from an illness. However, it makes an underlying illness worse. Medical doctors will consider different medical issues before prescribing medicines.

You might abuse your medication 

There’s a reason why not all medicines are available over-the-counter. Some of them are only available if you have a prescription from a doctor. These medicines could be addictive. Hence, you’re not allowed to have access to them whenever you want. Doctors are more cautious in prescribing medicines. They worry about the risks and also think about their license. They don’t want to agree that you will receive medicines if you don’t need them. If something wrong happens to you, they will be liable for it.

The incorrect dosage could be fatal

There are plenty of considerations before taking medicines. It includes your age, underlying condition, medical history, allergic reactions, and history of doing the treatment. Get the correct dosage for the right illness. Otherwise, your body might take more than what it can handle. Conversely, the dosage might be too low that it wouldn’t do anything to help you recover. Some people have died due to drug overdose. Others died because they thought they were getting appropriate treatment when they didn’t.

It could worsen your illness 

You may also develop a problem you didn’t have before because of self-medication. You believe that you’re taking the right steps to recover when you’re not. The worst part is not asking for help from a doctor when you should have. In some instances, early diagnosis and detection could save you. If you immediately seek medical attention, your problem could still be reversed. Since you decided to deal with it on your own, it might be too late to solve it later. Your illness would have been easy to solve, but due to your late action or inappropriate action, things got worse.

Don’t hesitate to see your doctor

The best way to solve your problem is to see a doctor. It would help if you got diagnosed and receive treatment right away. You might even have to take some tests to have a definitive diagnosis. Some people worry about the results, so they would rather run away from the truth.

Another reason why you might hesitate to go to the doctor is that you don’t have comprehensive health insurance. It might be time that you get one, so it won’t be difficult to head to the hospital whenever you feel something wrong.

When you feel tempted to self-medicate, always remember that your doctor knows better. Even if you’ve read plenty of articles online, they’re no match to what your doctor can offer. You can go for a checkup even if you have the slightest pain. If your doctor found something wrong, you have to be grateful. It’s better to have seen the problem while there’s still time to fix it. You would rather have it now than wait until it’s too late.

If your doctor diagnosed you with a condition, you’re not familiar with; you should ask questions. Get the necessary information from your doctor while you’re at the hospital. Don’t wait until you get back home and find more details online. You might receive incorrect information about your diagnosis, and it could lead to panic. Even if there’s available data online, your case is still different from the others. The best way to handle it is by telling your doctor all your questions. It would be challenging at first, but you will be on your way to recovery soon.

Donny white