Skipping the Doctor?

The worrisome trend of self-medication.

- Ravi Bhushan

With the improving literacy level and general awareness over a period of time, the trend of self-medication in our country has increased tremendously and continues to rise at an alarming pace.

Self-medication is a tendency wherein a person decides to diagnose and consume medicines for his or her medical conditions by using information available from surrounding sources such as family members, friends, and relatives. In this regard, the easy availability of social media has added fuel to the fire, as there are advertisements of medicines, including health supplements, and their uses in different medical conditions circulating in abundance. Such advertisements and podcasts encourage people towards self-medication.