Think twice before popping pills

I justify my stubbornness by telling myself that I am saving the world. Every time I turn down a round of antibiotics or anti-bacterial soap, I feel that I am taking a stand.
No one wants to play a part in the evolution of resistant bacterial strains, yet people still hit the z-packs anytime they have a sore throat. And America's pill popping culture doesn't stop there; it extends to antidepressants, sleep aides, appetite suppressants and painkillers.
Drugs can help us focus, allow us to relax and lead the charge in the endless fight against acne. This casual attitude toward powerful chemicals strikes me as a problem, but maybe I'm the only one who is freaked out by the drastic side effects associated with even the most common over the counter drugs.
And what's funny is that I am a huge proponent of establishment medicine. I absolutely believe that all of those intimidating drugs can be lifesaving, but that doesn't mean I can be nonchalant about taking them.
This is where my willfulness kind of degrades into pigheadedness. If I have a headache I should view taking aspirin as an option, but I don't. I tell myself that if I mask my pain, I won't know if something serious is going on. If I have a cold, I should take a decongestant, but I don't. I remind myself that these drugs suppress immune response and that I will actually get better faster if I just get some sleep.
Maybe these justifications sound all right, but they are really just enabling me to suffer as a sort of silent and overdramatic protest. I can tell that my actions are irrational because I never hold my friends and family to the same standard and often suggest that they take something for their pulled muscles or flu-like symptoms. I negate my own example through a demeanor of indifference. This whole scheme is clearly half-baked.
When I analyze it objectively, though, I think my ideological instincts are right even if my attempts at protest are horribly misguided. Drugs are potent, more so now than ever. They will definitely do something, whether this has the intended therapeutic outcome or not.
People think that if a drug is over the counter they are in control of it and, by extension, in control of their condition. If they are sick and taking care of themselves, they can take the appropriate drug to get better.
But, really, they are putting the drugs in control. They are assuming that taking the drug will have the desired effect without risks. They are counting on it to solve a problem without necessarily evaluating other ways that the problem could be addressed. And this attitude can translate to prescription drugs as well. But even if a drug constitutes a new scientific discovery, it may not be a magic bullet. Or it may require lifestyle changes to work. Or taking it may have a physical toll.
I worry that the scientific community, the pharmaceutical industry and even reputable media are all inadvertently conspiring to make drug therapy seem like the first choice in medical treatment.
Courses like aspirin therapy that are touted as effective in multiple channels start to seem appealing. If enough sources say that a preventive measure is safe, people would be crazy not to use it. But, drug therapy is rarely, probably never, one size fits all.
If Americans don't start to gain awareness they could be endangering themselves or settling for inadequate care. That is why I am taking my pill strike public, and I hope it will catch on, in a reasonably modified form of course.