self-medicate

verb

self-med·​i·​cate ˌself-ˈme-di-ˌkāt 

self-medicated; self-medicating; self-medicates

1

transitive : to treat (something) by self-medication

people who attempt to self-medicate depression

2

intransitive : to treat oneself by self-medication

self-medicated with analgesics to control arthritic pain

These courts are a lifeline for veterans, many of whom struggle with post-traumatic stress and brain injury when they return home after serving, often using drugs and alcohol to self-medicate.

—Claire Handscombe

Examples of self-medicate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Rowley encourages those who are self-medicating to seek medical advice. —Pien Huang, NPR, 2 May 2026

His patients were allowed to self-medicate before a procedure and were offered wine in the waiting room. —Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026

Frances is at home, self-medicating and snapping at the servants. —Alice Burton, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026

Garth, who went to the facility to learn how to stop self-medicating in harmful ways, and Facinelli are now friendly co-parents. —Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for self-medicate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Medical Definition

self-medicate

verb

self-med·​i·​cate -ˈmed-ə-ˌkāt 

self-medicated; self-medicating

transitive verb

: to treat by self-medication

the patient had attempted to self-medicate depression

intransitive verb

: to treat oneself by self-medication

patients with dental pain often self-medicate with analgesics