Serious Dangers Of Self Medication With Antibiotics

The serious dangers of self-intoxication (by self-medication) with Antibiotics: Antibiotics are medicines used for killing or inhibiting the growth of other bacteria. There are guidelines and recommendations for using specific antibiotics for specific conditions and the doctor is the right person to decide the right antibiotic for your condition, not the person in the Chemist (the medicine vendor).

If a specific antibiotic worked for you last time it does not mean that it will always work because there are different types of bacteria causing infection, it may not be the same every time.

Surprisingly, many people see no problem with self-medication but the question remains; why would people engage in self-medication despite being aware of the danger it poses to health?

Why Do People Self-Medicate?

People take drugs without the prescription of a doctor for several reasons. While some aim for a reduction in the time and cost of clinical consultation, others simply trivialize illnesses and resort to self-medication. Other factors could be due to personal insecurities and fear of job loss due to diagnosed disease, mental illness, quick relief of pain, depression or even ignorance.

Many times antibiotics are used for common colds or viral infections where these medicines are not useful. This is a misuse of antibiotics./ Dangers Of Self Medication With Antibiotics

Apart from side effects, the major concern with self-medication of antibiotics is a risk of increasing resistance.

Bacteria are much smarter than human beings. They quickly learn how to grow in the presence of antibiotics. The next time an antibiotic is taken, it may not work. Thus, self-consumption of antibiotics increases the risk of resistance, and it is in our hands to prevent it.

The risk of resistance is not only for the person himself but also for the society. If a person excretes resistant bacteria, the same bacteria can infect another person.

If this continues for a long time, patients and doctors will find it very difficult to treat simple infections. Stop misusing antibiotics, and avoid self-medication with antibiotics.

Contribute to the prevention of the menace of antibiotic resistance by sending this article to everyone./ Dangers Of Self-Medication With Antibiotics.

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What are the Dangers of Self-Medication?

Self-medication might seem right at first, but one needs to consider the potential side effects of such uninformed actions. Self-medication can lead to drug addiction, allergy, habituation, worsening of ailment, incorrect diagnosis and dosage, or even disability and premature death. This is the reason why people must avoid self-medication at all costs.

Guidelines on How to Stop Self-Medication

• Consult a doctor
• Seek help from people around
• Learn from other people’s mistakes
• Attend a rehab
• Self-motivation
• The Pharmacist

A point to note is that the pharmacist also plays a huge role in the issue of self-medication. In a haste to make a lot of money, some pharmacists encourage people to buy their drugs without a doctor’s prescription. And in some cases, they even prescribe the drugs for their customers. This is wrong because the pharmacist is charged with the duty of dispensing drugs. It is the doctor who prescribes these drugs.

The Role of Government

The government and other regulatory bodies should supervise the sale of drugs by the wrong people in the country. They should ensure that they confiscate any drug sold on the roadside or by hawkers.