From painkillers to antibiotics, saving prescription medications in a cabinet is common practice in many households. Sharing stimulants is quite popular among students cramming for exams as well.
Of course, there also are people taking their loved one’s prescribed medications to use them recreationally.
Behaviors like this may seem harmless at first but can actually be dangerous. The risks range from dosing errors and drug interactions to psychological dependence and criminal charges.
Read on to find out why taking someone else’s medication is a bad idea all around.
Table of Contents
What Is (And Isn’t) Prescription Medication Misuse
Before we get to the risks, we need to cover the idea of medication misuse, which is a bit of an umbrella term. It could be used to mean:
- Taking medication prescribed and dispensed for someone else.
- Taking a dose larger than what the physician recommended for your case.
- Taking the medication via a different route. One example is crushing and snorting pills rather than swallowing them.
- Using a medication for a different purpose than what it’s intended for.
So, technically speaking, any time you take someone else’s medication, you’re misusing the drug.
Does this mean you’re suffering from a substance use disorder, though? Not necessarily.
Prescription drug abuse is when someone uses any prescribed drug for recreational purposes or to get high. Some people start using the drugs for a legitimate reason (like pain relief), but if they don’t follow instructions, they might end up addicted to the substance.
Either way, this drug use pattern turns into a full-blown addiction when your body becomes dependent on the substance, and you no longer have control over your intake.
Commonly Abused Prescription Medications
Here’s a quick look at the most common types of misused medications:
| Class | Examples | Street Names | Intended Purpose |
| Opioids | Percocet, OxyContin, Vicodin, Duragesic, Codeine Contin | Cody, percs, dillies, M, oxycat, Oxy 80 | Painkillers |
| Amphetamines | Adderall, Dexedrine, Desoxyn | Speed, bennies, black beauties, uppers | Stimulant (for ADHD) |
| Benzodiazepines | Ativan, Librium, Valium, Xanax, Halcion, Klonopin | Benzos, blues, chill pills, downers, z-nar, zanies, tranks | CNS depressants (for anxiety and sleep disorders) |
| Barbiturates | Phenobarbital, Amytal, Nembutal | Barbs, reds, phennies | CNS depressants (for anxiety and sleep disorders) |
| Z-Drugs | Ambien, Lunesta | A Minus | Sleep aids |
Not all prescription medications are shared for recreational consumption, though. In many cases, people genuinely just lend each other drugs they think might be of medical use.
This behavior is so normalized that sources estimate its prevalence to be anywhere between 13% and 78%.
Sharing prescription medications is particularly common with:
- Painkillers
- Antibiotics
- Allergy medications
Why Prescription Drug Misuse Is No Joke
You might be under the impression that using prescription drugs to chase a high isn’t as bad as taking illicit drugs made in shady labs. After all, these are FDA-approved pharmaceuticals that have medical uses, right?
Well, that doesn’t make misusing them a smart move.
Take opioids, for example. Yes, they can have a legitimate use. But they’re incredibly addictive and are associated with a high fatality risk. According to the World Health Organization, opioids cause nearly 80% of all deaths attributed to drug use!
Similarly, drugs like benzos can be quite effective for anxiety and insomnia. Yet, mix them with alcohol, and you risk respiratory depression that can lead to death.
In short, an addiction to prescription medication (yours or someone else’s) is still very much an addiction. It’s chronic, progressive, and can ruin lives.
When to Seek Professional Help
Prescription misuse, like other forms of addiction, is treatable. Counseling, peer support, and withdrawal management can all help you quit and stay clean.
It might be time to seek treatment if you:
- Can’t stop using the medication despite wanting to.
- Need even higher doses than what you took initially.
- Experience withdrawals when you go a while without the drug.
- Are taking medications from someone who really needs them.
- Feel your relationships are getting strained from your drug use.
- Are worried about testing positive on a drug screen.
The Dangers of Taking Someone Else’s Meds (Beyond Addiction)
Aside from the addictive potential of the commonly misused prescription drugs, there are plenty of issues to worry about.
Here’s why sharing medications or taking them from someone behind their back is a bad idea for everyone involved:
1. You Could Take the Wrong Dose
Drug doses aren’t always the same. Sometimes, healthcare professionals have to adjust the dose for the person’s age, weight, sex, renal function, liver function, medical history, and more.
By taking a drug prescribed for another person, you risk taking the wrong dose, which can leave you with more side effects. It’s also possible that your “correct” dose should have been higher, so the dose you actually take won’t be as effective.
Without consulting a physician or a pharmacist, you won’t be able to tell for sure whether that person’s dose is higher than, lower than, or equal to the dose you need.
It’s also worth noting that 45% of American patients misread drug labels.
Studies show that the most common mistakes were misinterpreting dosing instructions. And these studies were done on patients taking their own medications. Imagine how the risk increases when it’s not even your prescription, and you were never instructed on using it!
2. There’s No One to Check the Contraindications and Interactions
Suppose someone you know is taking drug X to help them with problem Y. You may think: “I, too, suffer from this problem. If a doctor gave my friend the green light to take this medicine, why can’t I use it as well?”
But your friend went to the doctor, got their history taken, and got examined. You didn’t.
This means you could potentially have an allergy to one of the components of the medication. You might have a condition that makes this drug contraindicated in your case. Or perhaps the drug clashes with another medication (or even diet) you’re on.
3. It Doesn’t Go on Your Medical Record
When you go to the doctor and receive a prescription in your name, the details go on your record. This helps healthcare providers understand your medical history. It can also make all the difference if you’re ever unconscious and in need of emergency treatment.
But if you use someone else’s drugs, there’s no way for the doctors to know what medications you’re on. You’ll only make it harder for them to make the best decisions for you.
4. You Could Hurt Others
Many drugs that people take recreationally impair judgement, putting the user and others at risk of traffic accidents.
However, there’s another scenario to consider.
Maybe you decided to take someone’s medication to get high. Before you do, just consider the situation you’re putting them in.
Whether it’s a prescription painkiller or something else, they’re now left without the medication they actually need. They might not be able to get a refill immediately, either. And when they eventually do, their insurance provider might refuse to pay for the replacement.
5. The Drugs May Have “Gone Bad”
Some people believe taking medications from someone who no longer needs them is somehow okay. But they’re not considering the expiration and storage angles.
If that pill bottle has been sitting in the drug cabinet for too long, there’s a chance its chemical make-up has changed. This can mean it could be degraded, subpotent, or contaminated.
Even if the medication isn’t past its expiration date, you never know how carefully it’s been stored. So, you could end up with an unpredictable reaction.
6. You Might Get in Trouble at Work
Does your workplace do routine drug testing? If so, a positive result can lead to termination.
Usually, exceptions can be made for employees who can prove they need the drug with a valid prescription. But since you’re using someone else’s medication and have no prescription to show, you’d be in trouble.
7. It’s Illegal
Whether the other person is sharing meds willingly or you’re taking them without permission, it’s still against the law. Under federal law, controlled substances are strictly regulated and should only be dispensed with a prescription.
It’s not just you who would be violating the law. If the meds were shared willingly and you had a bad reaction, the person who gave them to you might be held liable.
The Bottom Line
By taking someone else’s medication, you’re putting your health at risk.
If you believe there’s a legitimate reason for you to take a prescription drug, don’t borrow a couple of pills from a friend. Instead, just go to your healthcare provider and talk to them about needing a prescription yourself.
And if you’re so deep down the prescription drug abuse hole that you’re trying to take medications from other people to satisfy cravings, it might be time to seek professional help.
There’s no shame in trying to recover from a substance use issue. Admitting that it’s gotten out of control is the first step.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you or a loved one needs to discuss recovery options.
