Self-medication is the practice of administering drugs on yourself without any doctor’s prescription.
A lot of people usually engage in self-medication in a bid to treat physical or psychological illnesses, despite the grave implications associated with the practice.
The 2015 report of the Human Development Index pegs the death rate attributed to the wrong prescription and expired drugs at 15 percent.
Over the years, doctors and other medical practitioners have led series of campaigns aimed at stemming the tide of this obnoxious habit.
In Nigeria, the habit of self-medication has assumed a frightening dimension as thousands of deaths have been traced to it.
Read Also: Sleep deprivation can lead to poor mental health and fatigue, medical practitioner warns
For instance, it is common to see an individual who is feeling a headache walk into a pharmacy to buy Panadol because it will subside the pain.
In an interview with Mangrovepen.ng, a medical doctor and registrar of the Ear, Nose and Throat (E.N.T) Department at the Federal Medical Center, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, Dr. Ekpesen Julius, opined that the habit of self-medication is more dangerous than we think.
According to him, “drugs are poisons when not used appropriately. A doctor prescribes medications after considering many factors including the patient’s ailment, age, commodities (that is, other ailments suffered by the patient), drugs the patient is currently taking, and other such factors.”
He also stated that it is unhealthy to inherit the drugs prescribed for another individual.
“Two patients having similar symptoms, and even diagnosed with same illness might be given different medications.
“It is unhealthy for someone to ‘inherit’ the drugs prescribed for another person just because they have the same symptoms,” he added.
While urging individuals, especially the elderly, to be careful when patronizing local drug stores, Dr. Ekpesen advised them of the financial constraints associated with self-medication.
In his words: “People from the Niger Delta, especially the elderly ones are mostly into crop production and fishing which are activities that exert so much energy and equally cause body pains.
“Thus it is commonplace to see them go to local drug stores where they make complaints and drugs are ‘mixed’ for them.
“These drug sellers who are mostly ignorant of the side effects of these drugs may go on to administer two or more drugs with a similar mechanism of action for the patient.
“Hence such patient may come down with ailments such as peptic ulcer disease, and its complications including haematemesis, passing of melena, etc.
“Self-medication, apart from its numerous health implications, also financially drains the patient. It will amount to using your money to buy sickness.”