Self-medication is the practice of using available medications or substances to treat illnesses. In many cases, self-medication occurs when an individual wants to treat a self-diagnosed symptom or condition. However, there are many dangers to self-medicating, and they can lead to serious health risks, dependence, and abuse.

As your trusted compounding pharmacy, we will discuss the reasons why you should avoid self-medicating:

• It leads to incorrect self-diagnosis.

  Self-medication often occurs after self-diagnosis. However, without consulting a healthcare professional about your symptoms, you likely end up incorrectly diagnosing your condition. This can lead to the wrong medication that won’t help alleviate your symptoms.

• It can worsen your symptoms.

  Although self-medicating can make you feel better temporarily, many substances and medications can worsen your symptoms over some time. This can leave you feeling worse than before. Instead of self-medicating, it’s best to consult your local low-cost pharmacy for the best medication to treat your condition.

• It can lead to addiction.

  In most cases, the substances that people use to self-medicate are highly addictive. Hence, self-medication often leads to psychological dependence. Taking different substances to treat a symptom can easily result in a pattern that leads to addiction.

As you can see, there are many risks to self-medication. If you suspect you are suffering from a condition or specific symptom, please do not hesitate to contact your healthcare provider or trusted pharmacy.

We at Longwood Pharmacy are available to refill your prescriptions and check your medication for side-effects and drug interactions. Browse our site or call us to learn more about our services.