Advantages
1. They are usually cheaper than prescription drugs
2. You do not need a prescription to obtain them.
3. You don't need a doctor visit
4. They are readily available in many types of stores, not just pharmacies
Disadvantages:
1. There is no one to tell you what medication to take for the problem you are having. You could easily select the wrong medication because you have misdiagnosed your problem.
You could make the problem worse by selecting the wrong medication.
2. There is no one to tell you which medication in a category will work the best for your condition
3. The instructions on the label are vague: you could easily under or overdose yourself.
4. Many over the counter medications have worse side effects than prescription ones when used according to package directions.
5. They often go over the counter when they have lost their effectiveness as prescription drugs due to resistance and overuse.
6. They are often old treatments and not guaranteed to provide adequate results even if taken correctly for the correct problem
I have seen a lot of animals poisoned by people using over the counter drugs for their pets instead of visiting their vet. This also occurs in humans. The main cause of children needing liver transplants is their parents overdosing them with tylenol (acetominophen). The person who self medicates has a fool for a doctor and a fool for a patient.