As Americans, we often think we know what's best for us. We read an article in a magazine, talk to a neighbor about her experiences, or see an ad on TV for a new drug and decide that we know our body and that drug/herb/supplement will work perfect for us. For prescription medications, we are often annoyed that we need to go through the hassle of seeing our doctor to get something we want. We are irate when it turns out our insurance company requires that medication to have be approved ahead of time, or heaven forbid, they refuse to pay for it all together. But what is really dangerous about our medical system isn't how hard it is to get a drug that has laboratory proof that it works and is safe. The real danger lies in how easy it is for us to self medicate with unproven chemicals.
Now let me be perfectly clear. I have no objections to trying an holistic approach. I love that our country allows alternative medical practitioners to encourage people to take herbs over pharmaceuticals, or to try yoga instead of blood pressure medications. As long as your blood pressure is in the normal ranges, who cares how you get it there. And there is certainly strong evidence that says exercise, healthy eating, and plenty of water can keep blood pressure in the healthy ranges for lots of people.The risk in using only holistic approaches occurs when you don't know that you have a problem because holistic providers cannot do they same tests as medical providers. But this isn't a blog about holistic options.
My concern today is for people who choose self-medicating behaviors with no guidance at all. This includes the soccer mom who treats her migraine with too many over the counter pain killers, the young man who chooses alcohol to reduce social anxiety disorder, and the cancer patient who must hide their medical marijuana use from their doctor. As Americans, we need to stop thinking because we can buy it, it's safe. Because we feel a tiny bit better after we take it, it's working well. And most importantly, because we can, means we should!
Anything you put in or on your body to change the way you feel, relieve a symptom, or help you live healthier (other than food), should be evaluated for safety and effectiveness. (Food could go in that category too, as more and more people develop food allergies!) You would be up in arms if your doctor prescribed a medication that created harmful side effects with other medications you were on, and rightly so. But when you "prescribed" yourself something, are you checking to make sure it is safe and effective for you? That there isn't a cheaper, healthier option? That you aren't treating a symptom when you should be looking for an underlying disease?
How do you stop the process of self-medicating? By talking to your provider (medical or holistic) about how you self-treat when you are not feeling well. If you drink, smoke, or use recreational drugs, share with your doctor why you find the need to take them. So often there is a medical condition underlying mild to moderate drug use. The man who needs a drink every night to relax after a stressful day, might really be struggling with anxiety or depression that can be more easily and safely relieved with an herb, a lifestyle change, some therapy or a safer prescribed medication.
If you find yourself standing in front of the vitamin aisle wondering if the claims that something "naturally lowers blood sugar levels" (or whatever the claim might be) will work for you, try asking your doctor. And make sure anything you use regularly is in your Electronic Medical Record. This will ensure that your pharmacist and other doctors treating you know what you take. Food allergies should be listed along with medication allergies in your records, some medications are created from peanut oil or use shellfish as an ingredient. It's time to start behaving responsibly with everything we use! That's really living a healthy life!
