automedicarse

A common term in health and pharmacy contexts for treating oneself with medication without a doctor's prescription or supervision — almost always used with a cautionary or critical tone, since automedicarse carries real risk.

• Automedicarse con antibióticos puede ser peligroso. — Self-medicating with antibiotics can be dangerous.
• El médico le advirtió que dejara de automedicarse. — The doctor warned her to stop self-medicating.
• Mucha gente se automedica en vez de ir al médico. — Many people self-medicate instead of going to the doctor.

Distinct from autorrecetarse (to self-prescribe, implying writing one's own prescription) — automedicarse is the broader, more common everyday term for simply taking medication on your own without supervision.

Often confused with autorrecetarse.