Managing your treatment yourself by removing or adding drugs, changing the daily dose can be harmful to your health and complicate the chances of successful healing.
- Self-medication:
This is when a patient uses one or more over-the-counter drugs that were not prescribed to them by a doctor. If you use medicines that you buy directly from a pharmacy, tell your doctor, as there may be interactions with your treatment that may either increase or decrease its effect or induce side effects.
More broadly, you should inform your doctor of all medicines you are taking – herbal products, vitamins, trace elements and food supplements.
- Self-prescription:
It involves consuming medication, normally provided on prescription, from your medicine cabinet or one of your relatives. All medicines, and in particular anxiolytic, antidepressant and sleeping pill treatments, have their own indications and contraindications. You could put yourself in danger by misusing them. Furthermore, inappropriate doses and inaccurate dosages will not help you to get out of your situation and, on the contrary, will confuse your doctor’s diagnosis and care.