The Dangers of Self-Medication Among University Students

Omolola Sadik

Dear readers, today, I will take you on a journey to a prestigious hall of residence at the University of Ibadan: Queen Idia Hall. I’ll be introducing you to Gloria, a resident of this esteemed hall. She has just returned to her room from an evening class. During the lecture, the lecturer informed the class about an upcoming test scheduled for Wednesday.

Feeling weary and plagued by a throbbing headache, Gloria collapses onto her bed. As she ponders her situation, she mutters to herself, “I have a test on Wednesday, and I’ve yet to finish reading my course material. Now, I’m having this severe headache that won’t go away. What am I going to do?”

Eventually, she concludes that the headache she’s experiencing is a “pre-malaria symptom”. In a desperate attempt to finish reading the lecture material, she decides to take two paracetamol pills to stave off the impending illness.

I am aware, dear reader, that you are not exempt from such situations, but perhaps you are unaware of the risks involved. Allow me to guide you through an informative journey on the dangers of self-medication. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), self-medication is the use of drugs to treat self-diagnosed disorders or symptoms, or the intermittent or continued use of a prescribed drug for chronic or recurrent diseases or symptoms. In simpler terms, self-medication involves the use of drugs without a doctor’s prescription.

This is what AJ*, a third-year student, had to say about the practice of self-medication among students on campus. “Many people I know on campus practice self-medication. My friends, my roommates, even me. Paracetamol is always the automatic solution to stomach ache, headache, anything. Paracetamol has to be the most abused drug in UI, if not in the entire country. But you can’t blame me. How will I visit the doctor when I have classes every weekday and other important commitments to satisfy every weekend? Plus, we all know going to Jaja can take forever.”

Students are increasingly inclined to diagnose themselves and determine their treatment plans based on their observed symptoms, information obtained from Google searches, and suggestions from peers. This observation stems from evaluations conducted on students across various faculties and residential halls in universities. You may argue that taking paracetamol when feeling weak or dizzy solved the problem temporarily, but do you understand the potential long-term effects on the body?

Self-medication is often perceived as harmless by many of us. Whether it’s just a paracetamol tablet or what we consider a ‘safe’ antibiotic, the convenience and perceived cost savings make it an appealing option, especially when compared to the time-consuming and expensive process of visiting a doctor.

However, self-medication can lead to a variety of mental and physical health problems. Without the expert insight and careful examination provided by healthcare professionals, students may misinterpret their symptoms, potentially leading to a misdiagnosis. Consuming the wrong medicines not only fails to address the underlying health issues but can also exacerbate them and introduce new health problems. For example, taking antibiotics for viral infections not only renders them ineffective, but also increases the risk of antibiotic resistance.

Furthermore, students are unlikely to possess the necessary knowledge about pharmaceuticals and the body’s metabolic responses. Consequently, there is a high risk of experiencing adverse reactions or even overdosing, which can range from mild to severe and potentially life-threatening.

Additionally, a lack of understanding about the iThe Dangers of Self-Medication Among University Students nteraction between different drugs or between drugs and food or beverages can have harmful consequences. Consuming intoxicants with certain medicines can exacerbate health risks.

What may begin as a simple attempt at self-medication can ultimately lead to substance misuse or dependence. As the body becomes accustomed to certain drugs, students may increase doses, leading to a cycle of dependency and addiction to that medicine. This poses a significant threat to the University community.

In essence, this is a call for every student to be wary of self-medication. Additionally, student associations should organise more sensitising programs to help create awareness about this alarming trend on our campus.