Self-medication is becoming an increasingly important area of healthcare. It moves patients toward greater independence when making decisions about. It moves patients towards greater independence when making decisions about the treatment of minor illnesses, thus promoting empowerment. Self-medication also has advantages for health systems, as it facilitates better use of clinical skills, increases access to medication, and can help reduce prescription drug costs associated with publicly funded health programs. However, self-medication is associated with risks such as misdiagnosis, the use of excessive drug doses, prolonged duration of use, drug interactions, and polypharmacy.
The latter can be particularly problematic in older people. Monitoring systems, partnerships between patients, doctors and pharmacists, and the provision of education and information to all stakeholders about safe self-medication are proposed strategies to maximize benefits and minimize risks. Self-medication refers to the misuse of drugs or alcohol in an attempt to control worrisome symptoms of a mental health disorder or other health problem. While many people who self-medicate may have a simultaneously diagnosed health condition, such as a mental illness, cancer, injury, or chronic pain, it's critical to remember that you don't need to have a formal clinical diagnosis to have started self-medicating.
You can drink alcohol, use illegal drugs, or use drugs that are legal, but that are taken inappropriately to achieve the desired effect. You can even consume unhealthy foods excessively as a way of comforting yourself or smoking cigarettes as a means of relieving anxiety or dealing with stress. This is known as self-medication and can cause serious substance abuse. It's important to understand the theory of self-medication, as it can provide more effective treatment options for substance use disorders.
Often, a substance use disorder is just a symptom of a larger problem or other condition. Therefore, treating substance use disorder alone can cause a relapse. Dual diagnostic treatment recognizes that there are many factors that lead people to abuse substances. Treatment for your mental health problem may include a combination of self-help measures, healthy lifestyle changes, individual or group therapy, and medications.
Additional research should identify subgroups of people for whom timely and appropriate mental health treatment would prevent the onset of substance use disorders. Treatments are available to stabilize mood and sleep, improve mental health, and help you find comprehensive well-being that frees you from the clutches of substance abuse. Clinical measures include indicators of mental health disorders, the “K6” score for psychological distress, the previous need for substance abuse treatment, the fact of having received treatment for substance abuse, and self-reported health status. First, much of substance use, especially smoking, precedes the first symptoms of the psychiatric disorder, much less the first treatment.
To ensure confidentiality, questions about substance use, mental health problems and treatment are answered using audio-assisted interviewing (ACASI) technology, in which respondents type their answers directly onto a laptop. Marijuana use among people with depression, for example, was associated with worse outcomes in treating depression. The results suggest that timely detection and treatment of mental health problems can prevent the development of substance use disorders among people with mental disorders. If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Administration (SAMHSA) national helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information about support and treatment centers in your area.
These findings suggest that timely and appropriate mental health treatment can prevent the development of substance use disorders. Figure 1 illustrates the key relationships between factors that influence the relative use of mental health care and of substances to treat mental health symptoms. If self-medication is common, the timely detection and treatment of mental health problems may be essential to prevent the onset of substance use disorders in the population with mental disorders. The positive relationship between unmet need and consumption of illicit drugs and the negative relationship between the use of mental health services and excessive alcohol consumption among people without substance dependence is consistent with the behavior expected in the self-medication hypothesis and suggests that mental health treatment can prevent the development of substance use disorders.
