One of the consequences of the current pace of life and the high demands to which we are constantly exposed is the increase in chronic stress, as well as
episodes of depression and anxiety in populations of all age ranges.

Associated with these social variables, we also have others of a personal nature that make these states more acute, such as
low tolerance to frustration or negative emotions, or a poor approach to personal experiences or complex feelings that affect us on a daily basis. In today’s society, one of the most common resources for confronting psychological discomfort in the face of many of these pressures is self-medication with psychotropic drugs , which can lead to abuse and become an added problem.

But: are psychopharmaceuticals necessary?

In many cases they are . Psychiatric medication can be of great help in channelling a psychological or behavioural problem at a specific and precise moment in the person’s life. Let us remember that the main function of this type of substance is to regulate the action of certain neurotransmitters, improving some of the symptoms suffered by the affected person.

In addition, in
serious mental disorders in which there is a high level of maladjustment, we know that medication is strictly necessary and that it plays a crucial role in the patient’s adaptation, although the psychological and family intervention that usually accompanies this type of case cannot be ignored.

The psychological effects of self-medicating with psychotropic drugs

However, in many other cases,
the use of drugs is being excessive and badly channelled as the solution to a psychological discomfort that arises in the face of daily problems or symptoms that do not justify their use. The prescription of psychotropic drugs should be guided by a physician and accompanied by additional psychological treatment if improvements are to be maintained in the long term. We know a lot about the side effects at a physiological level of the use of these drugs, but it is also relevant to highlight the psychological side effects that remain in the person at the level of self-efficacy or perceived problem-solving.

Most of the problems that create suffering in patients who ask for help are psychosocial in origin, not biochemical, so
if the true cause and origin of the problem is not found, it will be difficult to reach a solution , nor will it be possible to withdraw the drug (whose purpose is the transitory stabilization of the symptom, and not chronic medication as a sustained solution).

Taking drugs without professional control: a real Russian roulette

The real problem of self-medication is the use of medicines on one’s own initiative , without any medical prescription, control or professional diagnosis associated with such a drug. It is a practice that we have very standardized as a way of covering symptoms with some immediacy, how many of us have taken a pill for a headache, backache or to sleep at some point in our lives? In these cases where we are treating a cold, a punctual discomfort, we would be talking about a responsible and limited in time self-medication.

Problems begin when self-medication is prolonged too long or is set up as a resource to control an annoying symptom , but without addressing the origin of the symptom. It is frequent in such a case that the person believes that he or she needs such medication to manage his or her day-to-day life or to face his or her problems. Specifically, and in particular, we refer to antidepressant, anxiolytic and hypnotic psychopharmaceuticals whose consumption is normalizing in the medium and long term when the indications of the drug itself have temporary limits of use.

Effects (physical and psychological) of the bad habit of self-medicating

Apart from the typical effects on a physical level when a chemical is consumed, we will point out the
tolerance , abstinence and dependence resulting when some of these drugs are taken without control for long periods of time.

However, as the most important effect we want to highlight is at the psychological level, due to the lack of control or responsibility for the improvement. The consumption of drugs for the resolution of psychological problems facilitates the development of what is known as
locus of external control by diverting the improvement to an external resource independent of the person. A patient with symptoms of depression or anxiety may learn that he needs medication to get better and act on his condition, not learn that he is capable of acting on his condition to get better. Sometimes this effect may hinder the progress of the patient by not acquiring the necessary resources of their own to resolve a certain situation by themselves .

Examples and possible solutions

Let’s take an example, a person with a certain
degree of social anxiety that experiences great discomfort before certain situations ends up developing a work in front of the public in which he spends a lot of anxiety, affecting his execution. The ways of solution require leaving the job (which is not an option because it needs financial support), actively seeking another job, resorting to medication for anxiety, which will have to continue taking as long as you keep that job or learn to cope with social situations otherwise, with a treatment plan that includes working the anxiety, social skills and self-esteem among other things.

In cases like this, what we’re trying to reflect is that
running away or taking drugs are methods of avoiding the real problem , which will not contribute anything to personal growth or learning through experience. Medication yes, but always with supervision and for cases that require it.