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Prescription Drug Misuse
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Substance Use Disorders

Prescription Drug Misuse

Prescription drug misuse occurs when medication is taken in a manner other than prescribed, which can lead to serious health consequences and addiction.

What is prescription drug misuse?

If you take a medicine in a different way than your health care provider prescribed, it's called prescription drug misuse. It could be:

  • Taking medicine prescribed for someone else.
  • Taking a larger dose than you are supposed to.
  • Taking the medicine in a different way than you are supposed to. For example, instead of swallowing your tablets, you might crush them and then snort or inject them.
  • Using the medicine for another purpose, such as getting high.

Misusing some prescription drugs can lead to addiction. These include opioids, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants. Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease. It causes a person to take drugs repeatedly despite the harm they cause.

Who is at risk for prescription drug misuse?

Prescription drug misuse can affect anyone at any age, including teenagers and older adults. It can happen if you need certain medicines to treat a medical condition, reduce pain after an injury or surgery, or for chronic pain.

Risk factors can include:

  • A lack of knowledge about the prescription drug and possible risks
  • A previous addiction to other substances, including alcohol and tobacco
  • Certain mental health conditions

What are the risks of prescription drug misuse?

Prescription drug misuse can have serious medical consequences. Every medicine has some risk of side effects, which providers think about when prescribing medicines. People who misuse these drugs may not know the risks. Some medicines may not be safe for them, especially at higher doses or when taken with other medicines.

What are treatments for prescription drug misuse?

Treatment for prescription drug misuse often includes medicines and counseling, but it depends on the type of drug and your needs.

The counseling may be individual, family, and/or group therapy. It can help you:

  • Understand why prescription drug misuse began
  • Learn how to change unhealthy patterns of thinking and behavior
  • Manage personal problems and develop positive relationships
  • Learn how to manage cravings and avoid situations that could lead to a relapse

Stopping or cutting back on prescription drugs used for a while may cause different symptoms for different drugs. This is called withdrawal. Your provider will work with you to manage the symptoms as your body gets used to being taken off the medicine.

How can I prevent problems with taking prescription drugs?

Providers and pharmacists play a role in preventing or reducing prescription drug misuse, but you can also take steps to reduce your risk. A few ways to help reduce your risk and make sure that you are using any prescription medicines correctly include:

  • Talk to your provider about any other prescription medicines, over-the-counter-medicines, and supplements that you're taking to see if it is safe to take the prescription drug with them.
  • Follow the directions carefully and take medicine as prescribed. If you're taking prescription drugs for pain and it isn't working, don't stop or change the amount you're taking without talking to your provider.
  • If your provider prescribes opioids, ask about the risks and benefits of taking the medicine, and if another medicine with less risk of addiction could be used.

Frequently Asked Questions

Watch for a need to take higher doses to achieve the same focus, using the medication without a prescription (e.g., from a friend), taking it at irregular times, experiencing irritability or fatigue when a dose is missed, and cravings to use it for non‑medical reasons such as studying or recreation. If any of these appear, talk to your prescriber promptly.
Yes. Both alcohol and sedatives (e.g., benzodiazepines, sleep aids) depress the central nervous system. When combined, they can produce synergistic effects—excessive drowsiness, slowed breathing, loss of coordination, and in severe cases, respiratory arrest or death. Always avoid alcohol while using any CNS‑depressing medication.
Short‑term use (typically 3‑7 days) is common after most surgeries. If you still need pain relief after a week, contact your surgeon or primary‑care provider to discuss a taper plan. A gradual reduction—often decreasing the dose by 10‑20 % every few days—helps minimize withdrawal symptoms and reduces the risk of dependence.
Keep all pills in a locked, child‑proof container or a safe that only you can access. Store them in their original pharmacy bottles with clear labels, and never leave them in easily reachable places like night‑stand drawers. Dispose of unused or expired meds promptly using a pharmacy take‑back program or an approved disposal bag.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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