self-medicate

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self-med·i·cate • v. [intr.] choose and take medicines oneself, rather than by prescription or on expert advice. ∎  take addictive or habituating drugs to relieve stress or other conditions: whenever he hits a period of depression, he has a tendency to self-medicate with any pill or liquid that's in the house.DERIVATIVES: self-med·i·ca·tion n.

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