Let me ask, “How many medications do you take daily?” Depending upon your age, it is likely that you take 5 or more medications every single day. Some people take as many as 10 or more different medications daily. The overmedication epidemic is one that is truly frightening, because the results of it will not be understood for years to come.
What is the Overmedication Epidemic?
With each advancement in medical knowledge has come a plethora of medications developed to treat a variety of conditions and illnesses. From blood pressure to diabetes to high cholesterol to arthritis and more, the number of “common” medical conditions has skyrocketed. In the US, this can largely be attributed to obesity, but environmental factors and heredity can also have a hand in it. To treat these conditions and try to keep people healthy and living full lives longer, pharmaceutical companies have discovered and created a variety of different medications. The more conditions from which you suffer increases the then the number of medications that you take.
The problem comes in when you begin to treat symptoms, rather than narrowing down on a hard and fast condition. At some point, if a patient is not careful, they could be taking medications that they may not necessarily need. This can cause other symptoms, causing even more medication to be administered.
How Can I Avoid Being Overmedicated?
There are several different ways that you can try to ensure that you only take medication when you truly need it. One of the best ways is to have a primary care doctor that takes care of all of your medications. While you may have to see a specialist, they can work with your primary doctor to ensure that medications are only given when necessary and that there are no drug interactions. At the very least, make sure your primary doctor is aware of all your medications, even those they did not not prescribed.
You also want to realize that not every symptom needs to be treated with a prescription. Viruses do not respond to an antibiotics. Some reactions are auto-immune driven, so medications for symptoms may be masking a condition in your body or your environment that needs to be addressed. There are also alternative therapies that you can consider instead of a prescription, including diet changes, exercise, weight loss or therapy – mental and/or physical.
What if I need help?
If you do not feel as if you are able to take control of your medications or you just want more peace of mind, you may need someone educated by unbiased to look at your healthcare quality and choices. It can be someone who not only guides you in making actionable changes to your life, but also works with your medical providers to ensure you are getting the most holistic care possible. From monitoring medications to finding the best specialists to finding alternative therapies, there are those that can help you manage your healthcare and be a boon to your healthcare journey.
The overmedication epidemic is one that is real for people of all ages, from children to the elderly. By taking charge of your health, you can ensure that you take medications that are only necessary and keep the side effects and the expense down.
