Self-Medication in the Digital Era: Convenience or Risk?

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We are living in a world where the information is power and also weakness. The internet is ocean of knowledge and anyone has smart phone or PC and connected with the internet means he can get any information form any part of worlds, any new form any part of world. This is the treasure id used wisely but it is curse also if used with the ill intentions. For example making some bad comments, spreading the roomers and publishing wrong information to mislead others etc. The one development I have observed that many time the people believe more on internet other then the person sitting next to him. Take example of the Doctors, people now days take more help of internet rather then visiting clinics or hospitals to get there selves cured if the fall ill. Up to some extend its ok and manageable, If I have a headache or I am feeling feverish because of change of weather then I also prefer taking a paracetamol other then visiting a doctor. Honestly I will prefer the strong cup of tea rather then taking the direct medicine lol. Actually the Tea is also act like medicine because of the caffeine it has. Any way this is not the topic of discussion of this post. In India self medication is normal and you do not strictly needed any doctor prescription for many common and specific drugs. You just go to any medical or pharmaceutical shop and ask for the medicine you required or just tell the boy on counter the name of the decease you suffering form he will suggest you the medicine. The people feel its wastage of money, time and energy to go to doctor for such common deceases. Up to some extend its ok also but on the other end we do not know when a small medical problem become the big if not treated on time with proper medication.

I seen the most self medication by peoples during the Covid19 pandemic. Every one was ready with their expert advice those days. Many were mislead by the wrong information available online. In India the Ayurveda is good ancient technique to cure body and you will find the many items for your kitchen itself which are used in Ayurveda. During the Covid19 many people used the desi kahada or khawa, which is a immunity booster for body. The main reason that the people were getting sick was spread of virus in body which weaken the immunity power of the body. So I have seen a thousands of the video online which were suggesting how to make the kahada or khawa at home and how to take it. I consider all this a self medication, because people were using the immunity booster water without consulting the doctor. Many times the people get the negative effect of drinking it as they were using the quantity more then the requirement. And some people were also become careless as they were assuming that as they were consuming the immunity booster they will not get infected by the virus. This over confidence becomes the reason for illness many time.

Personally if I look around me I will found that each and everyone around me taking the self medication at certain point of time. Self-medication can be good because the person not have to wait for the doctor or hospital and they can start the treatment on time. It also reduce the burden of hospitals and doctor as they have to handle less patients, this can help in lowering the pressure on medical staff. But on the other hand the medical attention by the doctor become vey essential in some cases and the self medication is not good way to treat the illness. And some time the situation become worst because the absence of the expertise and the special treatment which required the specialization. It all deepens on the nature of the illness and the effect / response of the body. Some common illness like cold, headache, cough, seasonal fever etc are better treated by the self medications.

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