In health care, self care is any necessary human regulatory function which is under individual control, deliberate and self-initiated. Some place self care on a continuum with health care providers at the opposite end to self care. In modern medicine, preventive medicine aligns most closely with self care. A lack of adherence to medical advice and mental illness can make self care difficult. Self care is seen as a partial solution to the global rise in health care costs placed on governments. The notion that self care is a fundamental pillar of health and social care means it is an essential component of a modern health care system governed by bureacracy and legislation. Self care is the primary form of primary care due to illness. Self-management is critical. Self care is learned, purposeful and is continuous. In philosophy, self care refers to the care and cultivation of self in a comprehensive sense, focusing in particular on the soul and the knowledge of self.