A friend came visiting me and he was going to spend a few days with me. Madam and the child were not at home as they had traveled for the Christmas holiday so I was the sole host and I was worrying my head about being the chef at the same time. He arrived and after he had relaxed he just came out, went to my first aid box and took two medications out of the box. He didn't say a word to me, all he did was consume the medications and lay on the chair. I was in one of the rooms and didn't know what was going on.
Soon he became unsettled and walked up to me. He told me he took some medications for malaria as well as took a cough syrup. I was stunned because myself do not take medications from the box without going to the hospital and seeing a doctor and the medication there are either most times simple pain relief, vitamins, and a few medications in case I am unable to rush to purchase them. I also have methyl acohol, iodine, sotton wool, and a few other emergency requirement but not fogetting Laxatives.
Image From The Meds He Took From My Phone
When he said cough syrup, I knew immediately that this man had taken the wrong medication because I didn't have cough syrup in my firstaid kit. I asked him to show me the medications and alas I was correct. He had consumed two different types of laxatives. I was quick to ask him if he told me what was wrong with him and if he had a diagnosis and prescription and his response was a cold NO but I could feel he was feeling discomfort. I asked him to use the toilet and remain there for a very long time.
I told him to take his time and not be in a rush to leave the rest room because he had just taken Laxatives. I asked why he didn't say anything at first so we could go to the nearest hospital around and he mentioned that he thought he knew what was wrong with him and the possible solution and I laugh. This is where majority of people make mistake; "You are not a doctor, leave doctoring to the practitioners".
The act of self medicating and self diagnosing has become a very big problem in our world with people thinking they know what is going wrong in their body. People can decide to diagnose themselves in the house and treat themselves, more annoyingly, they would go to the hospital and instead of them to explain the symptoms and signs they are experiencing, they can go ahead to tell the doctor that they have a particular ailment and need treatment for it. The question I ask in my mind when my doctor friend tells me these things is "who diagnosed you" are you the doctor or the patient.
Some people would even come to the hospital to tell the doctor to give them certain medications because they already know what they are suffering from as it has happened to them before. One mistake a lot of people make with this statement is that they do not know that signs are symptoms can be similar to one another but not singular to one condition. A person suffering from abdominal discomfort, a person suffering from inflamed appendice, or volvulus will all suffer abdominal pain so because a person experienced abdominal pain in the past for abdominal discomfort doesn't mean another abdominal pain felt by the person is still abdominal discomfort. Checks, tests, and possibly scans can be done and allow the doctors to do their job while you do your job of being a patient. If you wanted to be a doctor, then you should have gone to medical school.
I later spoke to my doctor friend and he told me my friend was going to be alright. He told me to buy some meds and I gave it to my friend. He was fine overtime and I ensured he visited the hospital for treatment before living my house.
You Can Study More
https://www.gatewayfoundation.org/blog/dangers-of-self-medication/
https://www.emro.who.int/emhj-volume-17/issue-5/article8.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK338594/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20492/
https://psnet.ahrq.gov/web-mm/doctor-dont-treat-thyself
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