self-medication
noun
self-med·i·ca·tion
ˌself-ˌme-di-ˈkā-shən 
plural self-medications
: the act or process of medicating oneself especially without the advice of a physician : self-treatment
For chronic coughs, self-medication with cough remedies is usually inappropriate, and most doctors discourage their use.—
Consumer Reports
Consumer ReportsHazard has a long tradition of self-medicating. Moonshine and marijuana, grown in its fertile soil, have long helped to blot out depression, boredom, even physical pain.—Debra Rosenberg
Debra Rosenberg
also
: a substance used for self-medication
Over half (57 per cent) of these medical centre patients reported using one or more over-the-counter medications in the previous month, with analgesics, cold and allergy products, and antacid products being the most common self-medications. —Antonia C. Lyons and Kerry Chamberlain
Antonia C. Lyons and Kerry Chamberlain Examples of self-medication in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But behind the slick posts and quick fixes lies a dangerous truth: when trust in science erodes, real people pay the price—with misdiagnoses, harmful self-medication and preventable harm.
—John Samuels, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
The nonprofit’s web site says their programs discuss self-medication and casual drug use in the fentanyl era while encouraging healthier strategies for coping with stress.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 20 Mar. 2025
There’s self-care—the buzzword of my generation—and then there’s self-medication.
—Kristen Mascia, Parents, 4 Mar. 2025
The market response was immediate, validating his intuition and laying the groundwork for what would become a career instead of an act of self-medication.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
In another instance of self-medication, scientists recently witnessed an orangutan heal his own wound.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
His new methodology for his patients is also a new form of self-medication.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2024
That may be a useful song for many listeners, but just as striking is how much Jelly Roll invites the men in his audience to deal with a sense of self-loathing — and why that might require something deeper than self-medication.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2024
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John Samuels, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
The nonprofit’s web site says their programs discuss self-medication and casual drug use in the fentanyl era while encouraging healthier strategies for coping with stress.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 20 Mar. 2025
There’s self-care—the buzzword of my generation—and then there’s self-medication.
—Kristen Mascia, Parents, 4 Mar. 2025
The market response was immediate, validating his intuition and laying the groundwork for what would become a career instead of an act of self-medication.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
In another instance of self-medication, scientists recently witnessed an orangutan heal his own wound.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
His new methodology for his patients is also a new form of self-medication.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2024
That may be a useful song for many listeners, but just as striking is how much Jelly Roll invites the men in his audience to deal with a sense of self-loathing — and why that might require something deeper than self-medication.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Self-medication.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-medication. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
self-medication
noun
self-med·i·ca·tion
-ˌmed-ə-ˈkā-shən
: medication of oneself especially without the advice of a physician : self-treatment
self-medication with nonprescription drugs
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