Young adults are taking prescription drugs instead of alcohol – and it’s dividing experts
Young Adults Swap Alcohol for Prescription Pills
Ninoda.com – Young adults are taking prescription medications in place of alcohol, a trend that has split researchers into two camps. Across multiple countries, people in their early twenties are reaching for pills and experimental injections to ease social anxiety, trading the familiar hangover for what they describe as a cleaner, more controllable buzz. Some experts frame the shift as a rational workaround; others sound alarms about dependency and overdose risk.
One Person's Friday-Night Routine
Matt—a 22-year-old warehouse worker in northern England whose name has been changed—spent years drinking until he was sick just to unlock his voice at parties. Without a drink in hand, he felt locked out of every conversation, paralysed by fear of saying the wrong thing. Two years ago, after stumbling on the practice through social media, he dropped alcohol entirely. Now, before a Friday outing, he swallows a drug typically prescribed for epilepsy and nerve pain—purchased illegally online—paired with a beta blocker that steadies a racing heart and trembling hands. He says the pairing mimics alcohol's loosening effect without the next-day wreckage.
"The amount of alcohol you have to drink to replicate the effects of these is really unhealthy and it doesn't feel good."
Matt calls the sensation "euphoric": anxious mental chatter quiets, conversation becomes manageable. Yet clinicians caution that consuming these substances at high doses without medical supervision can be dangerous, occasionally fatal. Prolonged use carries dependency risk; users report anxiety spikes, insomnia, and suicidal thoughts when they try to stop. For Matt, who previously attended therapy for social anxiety, what began as a weekend crutch has crept into dates and family gatherings. He admits many social scenarios are ones he "would not even bother to attempt" without the medications, though he insists he has not become dependent.
A Generational Pattern and Its Fuel
Matt's story sits inside a wider pattern. Young people worldwide are gravitating toward pharmaceuticals and unregulated substances—oral options such as pregabalin and propranolol, or injected peptides, a class of protein gaining traction online. The driving motive appears to be social anxiety, which strikes Generation Z with particular force. A study published last year by University College London found that 28% of people in their early twenties in England report high levels of anxiety, and that serious mental illness is markedly more prevalent among Gen Z than it was among millennials at the same age.
Social media amplifies the trend. Hashtags tied to these medications surface thousands of short-form videos urging users to assemble their own cocktail of drugs—a practice dubbed "stacking" online. The same influencers championing these stacks routinely advise followers to avoid alcohol altogether, reinforcing the so-called "sober generation" identity. Liam Knowles, an addiction researcher at Teesside University, notes the appeal is straightforward: users wake up feeling less wrecked, and because the substances are medications, people assume they are inherently safer.
"[Users] don't feel as bad the next day and it's a medication—so people think it's safer."
Pinpointing exactly how many young people are using prescription drugs or unregulated peptides purely to socialise remains difficult, since much of the supply bypasses formal prescribing. Knowles nonetheless believes there is "probably a substantial amount of people that are getting addicted."
Why the Timing Matters
The shift coincides with a steep decline in alcohol consumption among young adults. A survey conducted last year by the charity Drinkaware revealed that 26% of 18- to 24-year-olds in the UK reported not drinking alcohol at all, up sharply from just 7% in 2012. Throughout the twentieth century, alcohol had been the default relaxant for young people; now those in their twenties are reaching for prescription options instead. Prof Emily Jones, a psychologist at King's College London, points to the pandemic as a likely accelerant, arguing that prolonged isolation rewired social instincts, particularly among younger cohorts.
"Lockdown effectively taught everybody to be afraid of social interaction."
Among the substances drawing experimental users, pregabalin has emerged as a particular focus. A study published in the journal Nature Communications examined its growing off-label popularity and raised questions about long-term neurological effects when the drug is used recreationally rather than therapeutically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to take prescription medications like pregabalin without a doctor's supervision? Clinicians warn that high-dose, unsupervised use can be dangerous and occasionally fatal. Dependency, anxiety spikes, insomnia, and suicidal ideation have been reported when users attempt to stop. A medical professional should oversee any regimen.
How common is the trend among young adults? Exact numbers are hard to pin down because much of the supply bypasses formal prescribing. However, a UCL study found 28% of early-twenties in England report high anxiety, and addiction researchers describe the user base as "probably a substantial amount of people."
Why are young adults turning away from alcohol? A Drinkaware survey found 26% of UK 18- to 24-year-olds now report not drinking at all, up from 7% in 2012. Researchers including Prof Emily Jones at King's College London link the shift to pandemic-era isolation rewiring social instincts, compounded by social-media narratives promoting a "sober generation" identity.