Addictive Behavior and Dual Diagnosis

Self-medication is the use of drugs to treat self-diagnosed diseases and their symptoms, or the irregularities and continued use of a prescribed drug for chronic or recurrent disease or symptoms. Self-medication is a human behaviour in which an individual uses a substance or any exogenous influence to self-administer treatment for non-clinical physical or psychological ailments.

 

The most widely self-medicated substances are Over-the-counter drugs and diet supplements. Self medicating psychology with Psychoactive drugs is using alcohol, comfort food, and other forms of behaviour to alleviate symptoms of distress in mental health, anxiety and stress which also includes mental illnesses and psychological trauma, as a serious detriment to physical and mental health if motivated by addictive mechanisms.