Over drugging self-medication and lack of medical care

Over Drugging Self-Medication and Lack of Medical Care 

It is wise not to use medicine or seek expert medical guidance and advice when one is diseased but to continue medication, except when it is medically advised, even after all the symptoms have abated, is a codemnable trend, concept of family physicians has been relegated to the back-seat or it has lost its relevance. The said system and practice had certain plus points.

The first and foremost was that the family physician knew health problems of all the members of a family. He also know as to what reactions a particular drug could cause to a member or which food items would or would not suit a member or else what is the cause of onset, progress and decline in case of each of his patients. His role was not only of a family physician he was, in fact, a sympathetic well-wisher of the family.

But the mushroom growth of doctors, various systems of new therapies, flooding of drugs, chemists serving as physicians, self-medication and knowledge (though shallow) gained through various sources, has further compounded the health problems of a common man, more so of the under-privileged and the poor.

There is no lack of medical care and facilities but the million dollar question remains, as to how many of us can afford to avail of such costly diagnostic treatment. For the rich and the elite class, there is no problem. When a person is ailing, he should either visit a government hospital and further add to his agony and that of his family members too.

Hefty fee charged by doctors, especially the so-called specialists, is beyond his reach. The chemist, when approached, fleeces him by heaping costlier drugs on him. To avoid all such and many other problems, the miserable patient starts treating him on the basis of his own half-based incomplete knowledge about drugs or on ‘hear-says’. You will find many volunteers who are ever ready to suggest a medicine for almost every disorder under the sun.

Self-medication is a compulsion for the patient, as he desire to get better, sooner than later, and that too with  the least expenses. He uses his own knowledge / experience, acts on advice churned our by self-styled well-wishers and advisers or else he approaches a chemist whose aim is to simply fleece the patient but not guide him

properly as to the hazards of over-drugging or side effects thereof. The chemist may prescribe and sell medicines in good faith but his total or part ignorance about side-effects and drug-induced disorders lands the patient in a confused state. The patient’s dilemma and confusion virtually lands him at the door-steps of doctors who charge heavily for various diagnostic and clinical tests.

Naturally, let us ponder over as to what such a hopeless person should do to ameliorate his suffering? In our opinion, concept of family physician should be removed forthwith, as it will spare a patient of running from door-to-door, from uncalled for chemical tests and other diagnostic expenses.

Over drugging is a follow-up condition of self-medication which is an off-shoot of ignorance, over-confidence, or else, total lack of requisite knowledge. Half-baked knowledge is far worse than complete lack of knowledge. In case of heart attack, kidney failure, high blood pressure, high fevers, respiratory disorders severe headaches, visual disorders, psychic disorders

what to speak of over-drugging, no medicine should ever be taken without proper medical advice and guidance. No experiments be ever made on infants, pregnant women, aged persons, persons on the verge of terminal end, in case of accidents, heart and kidney problems, etc.

Drug-induced allergies and other disorders should be attended to without delay, otherwise such problems are bound to multiply. Remember that a stitch in nine saves time. Timely action can save precious lives, but even a delay of few moments could prove fatal for the patient. When patient’s life is at stake, monetary consideration should not weigh, as no cost is ever higher than saving someone’s life.