Drug Addiction Center

Substance Abuse vs Misuse
Prescription drugs are intended to help us but can end up hurting us when misused or abused. But what
truly is the difference between drug abuse vs. misuse?
When a person misuses or abuses a prescription drug, there is no medical oversight of the risks. For
example, a person who misuses or abuses opioids such as OxyContin or Vicodin can die from respiratory
failure. Prescription sedatives like benzodiazepines such as Xanax can cause withdrawal seizures.
Prescription stimulants such as medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can lead
to dangerous increases in blood pressure. The risks from these drugs are worse when they are combined
with other drugs or alcohol.
Additionally, when a person misuses a prescription drug, even on a single occasion, that individual might
enjoy the experience so much that they begin to seek out the drug more often. Thus, drug abuse and
drug dependence are serious risks of misusing prescription drugs.
When looking at drug misuse versus drug abuse, drug misuse is when a prescription drug is used for a
purpose other than its intended purpose.
An example would be taking Percocet for a simple headache, or a Xanax to treat nausea. The important
factor is that people are taking a drug with the belief it will make them “feel better”, despite going
against medical instruction. Also, taking more than prescribed because the proper dose “isn’t doing the
job” is also a sign of drug misuse. If a person doesn’t fall asleep after taking one sleeping pill, they may
take another to really fall asleep. Prescription drugs do come with adverse side effects; however, under
the care of a medical professional, the benefits outweigh the costs…when taken as prescribed. Signs of
drug misuse include: taking too much, taking for reasons other than the reason they were prescribed,
stopping a medication, and accepting prescription medication from a friend.
Drug abuse often follows drug misuse, although it is a separate entity unto itself. Those who abuse
prescription medication are often not prescribed what they are taking. They take medication to “feel
high” or to chase a euphoric feeling. Abusing powerful narcotic medication like OxyContin and Xanax
lead to inevitable negative consequences such as dependency and full-on drug addiction. Drug abusers
develop tolerance and feel they must take more and more to “feel normal”. Drug abusers are simply
looking to get high, and not treating any specific ailment.
Although drug misuse versus drug abuse has similarities, there are important differences. Mainly, the
individual’s intention is the keystone to either misuse or abuse. Also, the consequences of each are
different and serious. Drug abuse can lead to serious adverse physical consequences including drug

addiction and death. To the casual observer, misuse and abuse seem to be “splitting hairs” and
semantics, but the difference is important, real, and significant.
What is Drug Misuse?
To misuse a drug is to use a drug for purposes it is not intended for. Using Vicodin for a headache, Xanax
for nausea, or any other example of people believing a drug can make them ‘feel better.’ Misuse
involves not following medical instructions, but the person may not necessarily be looking to ‘get high’
from their use. For example, if a person isn’t able to fall asleep after taking a single sleeping pill, he or
she may take another pill an hour later, thinking, “That will do the job.” Though many drugs claim to
cover a wide variety of symptoms, there is no panacea out there that can cure everything. It’s important
to note that all drugs can produce adverse events (side effects), but the risks associated with
prescription drugs are managed by a healthcare professional. Thus, the benefits outweigh the risks
when the drug is taken as directed.
“Signs of Drug Misuse”
-Taking a dose at the wrong time
-Forgetting to take a dose
-Stopping medication too soon
-Accepting prescription medication from a friend
-Taking drugs for reasons other than what they were prescribed for
What is Drug Abuse?
People who abuse drugs typically do not have a prescription for what they are taking. Not only do they
use it in a way other than it is prescribed, but they also use it to experience the feelings associated with
the drug. Euphoria, relaxation, the general feeling of ‘getting high’ is always associated with drug abuse.
The abuse of drugs in the opiate and benzodiazepine families frequently leads to unavoidable side
effects, including dependency and addiction. For example, someone taking Vicodin frequently with no

prescription, no symptoms and believing they ‘need’ it in order to feel better is an example of drug
abuse.
“Signs of Drug Abuse”
-Using a drug to get high
-Using without a prescription
-Exceeding a recommended dose
-Chronic or repeated abuse
-Developed tolerance
Just the key difference between drug abuse and drug misuse is the individual’s intentions when taking
the drug. It stresses that both misuse and abuse of prescription drugs can be harmful and even lifethreatening
to the individual. This is because taking a drug other than the way it is prescribed can lead to
dangerous outcomes that the person may not anticipate. Especially when revolving around prescription
drugs, these terms are often used interchangeably and mislead people who have a potential for
addictive behavior. It is important not only to recognize the difference but to also be aware of the
consequences of each. Though many people may chop up the difference to be semantics that using any
prescription drug outside of its intended use and dose should be prohibited there is indeed a difference
and a significant one at that.
Source: https://addictiontreatments101.com