Why self-medication is a double-edged sword

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Self-medication is the process of taking medicines, herbs, or home remedies on one's own initiative or based on the advice of others, without seeking professional help from qualified medical personnel. It also involves self-evaluating the intensity of signs and symptoms, which may lead to the use of pharmaceutical products. Medicines used in self-medication include both non-prescription/over-the-counter drugs and prescription-only medicines. The practice of using prescription-only medicines for self-medication is especially prevalent in low-and middle-income settings where weak enforcement of regulations governing the sale of medications allows for liberal access to all classes of medicines.