When I have a headache or an injury, I often take a pain reliever. When I have allergies, I take a pill. When my digestive system is bothering me, sometimes I take something for that.
Writing these statements reminds me that I use medication to care for common ailments. Luckily, my ailments aren’t severe and I don’t experience them all of the time, so I don’t use much medication.
But like a lot of people, I do use over-the-counter (OTC) drugs for medical issues. Do I use them too much? Do I need them at all?
The answers to those questions are tricky. On one hand, I could argue that no, I don’t really need them. Any conditions I experience are relatively minor and they don’t debilitate me. I’ve been extremely lucky because I’ve only needed strong, potentially addictive painkillers like Vicodin a few times, and I don’t need less-potent over-the-counter drugs very often.
On the other hand, I could make the argument that we have modern science and the fruits of modern scientific research at our disposal. If they’re available, why shouldn’t we use these developments to live happier and more comfortable lives? A regular headache can’t kill me, but it can make life more difficult and painful. Why shouldn’t I seek help to end this headache?
Complicating matters is the fact that over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are legal. You might have to talk with a pharmacist or cashier before buying them, but you can still buy them at a huge variety of places, from drugstores to gas stations. Since they’re so available, people might think that OTC drugs are perfectly safe, but that’s not correct.
The truth is, even though OTC drugs are available practically everywhere and don’t require a prescription, they can still be addictive. They can still cause damage. People who take too many energy pills can feel temporary surges of energy, but can then experience dangerous crashes. People who abuse diet pills can damage their hearts or other parts of their bodies.
This illustrates how we should carefully consider whatever we consume, whether it’s prescription or over-the-counter drugs, alcohol, foods, or drinks.
