According to research concluded, it was found that 68.6% of the elderly had at least are involved with self-medication. The term self-medication is described as human behavior in which individuals treat health problems and severe illness without consulting or taking advice from doctors or healthcare professionals.
A person takes non-prescribed medicines or services which are often term as over the counter (OTC) without consulting or visiting a doctor. It also refers to the people who take dietary supplements for fast results without a prescription.
Self-medication can be extremely harmful as we only look for the on-time recovery, but the effects can be too harsh in the long run. Obviously, the relief isn’t permanent, and it only heals for the time being; taking medicines, drugs, and aging supplements from pharmacists will have damaging effects on your health.
Some people are also looking for cost-effective methods, but the savings worth nothing as you are putting yourself on the stake, and later you will have to spend more.
As far as older people are concerned, they already are on the verge of death, they are weak, and their body isn’t able to fight the harmful effects that these medicines could cause, and by taking the medications which are not prescribed by the doctor will make them more vulnerable.
One thing has been observed that older people doing self-medication are mostly relying on old prescriptions, taking friends’ advice, or the most found, using the internet for instant remedies and cures. Yes, you can research and make alterations in your life accordingly, but doctors and health care professionals are meant for this job.
You must have heard or read this that the work suits in the hands of the one skilled to do it. It is crystal clear that if someone else does it, he’s sure to make a mess.
Why Is Self-Medication Prevalent In Older People?
Self-medication means that you are ignoring the consultation of doctors and getting things done in traditional ways with suggestions and pieces of advice, reading blogs, and taking older prescriptions, which are likely not to work anymore.
Self-medication is a habit, a habit that can have appalling consequences sooner or later. Older people are more immune to viruses, and that is why they have a high altitude of getting a fever, cold, cough, body aches, etc.
Instead of going to the doctor or health care professional and getting the right prescribed medicines, older people are more likely to rely upon self-medication and take medications that relieve them from the pain for the time being.
A minor issue that could be quickly resolved earlier with doctor’s assistance will lead to something that will become terrible in the long run and challenging to diagnose or treat.
The reasons as to why older people are more prevalent are that they mostly get the attitude of carelessness and laziness. They try to save money by taking cheap and injurious measures instead of subsequent medication.
Tips To Avoid Self-Medication In Older People
There are several tips and ways to stop and avoid self-medication. Remember that determination leads to productivity and desired results, and the first step always lies in your hands.
Here are the seven most useful and functional tips to avoid self-medication. Have a look!
1. Listening To The Perspective Of Care Takers
There are around 423,200 home service agencies in the United States, with 1,976,692 employees working with different SOPs. So, the perspective of caretakers matters the most. They provide health care assistance to most of the older people in different states.
Caretakers also urge that self-medication is harmful and should be wholly suppressed. Their beliefs are not any different than ours. The home health care providers follow strict rules and principles for medication and counsel older people to unfollow this practice.
2. Know The Relationship Between Addiction & Self-Medication
Older people are found to be more addicted to certain things because of the practices that have been carried for a long time. Self-medication has become an addiction to tens of thousands of aged people around the world. Effective strategies are needed to prevent addiction by avoiding self-medication and bad habits.
3. Saying ‘No’ To Non-Prescribed Medicines
Nowadays, more people are inclined towards the internet. Checking for remedies and buying medicines, just like gadgets, is common in people of old age.
But the fact is real that thousands of online pharmacies and self-medication articles are unauthentic and fake, and taking medicines from them can put you in a position where you have to spend hundreds of dollars later for getting back to normal, which will still be uncertain.
Non-Prescribed medicines could be of great danger to your health because it might be out-of-date, expired, diluted, or fake. These cautions are not a matter of concern for the sellers, as they are just trying to sell the most number of products by putting fancy descriptions and fake reviews. All they are trying to do is just manipulating and mocking the buyers.
4. Setting Medical Assistance At A Priority
Setting priorities play a pivotal part in human’s life. Older people are often neglected when it comes to getting medical assistance at a priority. Older people tend to be lazier, and in mere oblivion, the weaknesses also lead to unforeseen circumstances.
A doctor’s work can never be done by anyone else, nor can it be done on your own. Older people are not admitting the reality and instead try to get the situation handled themselves. Setting up medical assistance will prevent unwanted happenings.
Instead of taking matters in your own hands, you should acquire for doctor’s help by getting the appointment, meeting in person, diagnosing the illness, and living a healthier life.
The doctor’s guidance as to what medicine will be a perfect solution for you, its dosage, the amount of it to be taken in, the possible side effects, or any harmful interactions is essential. All of this may be told upon the prescription after proper screenings.
5. Create Awareness
Awareness has always been a more significant element in change and for a better society. Public perception is essential, but it can only be impacted if people realize its importance. Older adults are weak and in an instability mode, so to create awareness and to educate them about it is the duty of those associated with them.
‘The first step towards change is awareness, and the second is acceptance.” – Nathaniel Brandon
The community develops when there are awareness and know-how of things. Self-medication is like a slow poison that acts slowly but gradually affects you. Awareness campaigns should be held to educate people regarding the dreadful impact of self-medication and how it puts you in emerging danger.
Virtual awareness campaigns can also do the part. Advertisements on the internet, television broadcasting, and billboards can create high awareness by highlighting the adverse effects of self-medication.
6. Understand The Role Of Drug Control Authority
There are thousands of online consultants and pharmacies operating without getting proper licensing and are not being monitored for security protocols and checks and balances. Older people being at home use the internet and try to get immediate solutions to their problems and often get in contact with the fake and manipulative sellers online. They aren’t familiar with the safety regulations imposed by these authorities for consumer protection.
Drug Control Authorities should keep a proper eye on as many of the fake sellers as they could. Registrations should be done, adequate issuance of licensing must be done, and monitoring of the products.
People are advised to buy research papers online but not to go online for consultation and medical prescriptions instead of consulting doctors for better and satisfying results.
7. Look For Reliable Pharmacists
Tens of thousands of pharmacies and online consultation services are fooling people. Taking online consultation is not as easy as buying essay help UK online. Pharmacists must be educated on the possible consequences of selling non-prescribed medicines and violating consumer protection regulations.
Even if you are taking an online consultation, make sure they are qualified and have a proper and updated license. Also, make sure that they pay attention to details and show a kind attitude. Lack of attention from your pharmacist increases the possibility of medical errors.
What are the Perils of Self-Medication? Getting It Concluded
Self-medication is dangerous and is not advisable to anyone, especially older adults, because they have a weak immune system. If you consume medicines without having a legit prescription, a lot of problems such as medical complications, over-dosage, and poisoning may occur. I have accumulated all the potential perils that self-medication can cause:
- You will be addicted to it.
- It will cause long term side effects.
- Your body condition may get relapsed.
- It can also cause instantaneous on-spot death.
- It will damage other healthy organs of your body.
Sickness and body-aches happen rarely, and for that, taking your own invented or friend’s prescribed medicine or doing remedy you read about on social media may heal you for the time being. Still, in the longer run, it will not be beneficial. Besides, it will make you more receptive to new diseases and illnesses.
Visiting doctor and implementing on the doctor’s prescription will save you from happening hazardous and keep you healthy and wealthy.
Author Bio
Claudia Jeffrey is currently working as Content Strategist at Crowd Writer, a credible platform to get on-time delivery of essay help UK. She has gained a credible reputation with her outstanding write-ups on the health and well-being of elders. She likes to share her views and opinions through writing.