self medicating in my location means any time a person takes any kind of medicine legal or otherwise without being prescribed that medication....

example a person with allergies and doesnt go to the doctors to get a prescription goes the the local store and buys an anti histamine like aller rest, benedryl claritin... and takes it.

a person with a headache takes some head ache medicine for their headache with out consulting with a doctor.

a person having sleep problems goes to the store and buys their self a sleep aid and takes it with out a doctor telling them they need it.

a person who feels they may need some vitamins goes to the store and picks up over the counter vitamins and takes them.....

many states have now legalized marijuana for medical \ mental health use or for recreational use. some people dont bother consulting with their doctors and go ahead and use it.

many people use alcohol as a social beverage, some people use alcohol as a way to relieve their stress/ unwind, and other uses.

some people self medicate frequently and others on rare occasions.

my point when you think about it everyone self medicates at some points in their life, if they didnt they would be in the doctors office for every little cold, sneeze, sleepless night or need this herbal or vitamin to supplement my dietary needs and other reasons a person uses any kind of medication with out consulting a doctor first.