What drug does Gregory House regularly misuse in House M.D.?

Gregory House regularly misuses Vicodin in House M.D.

Vicodin is a prescription painkiller combining hydrocodone and acetaminophen. House uses it to manage chronic pain caused by an infarction in the quadriceps muscle of his right leg, but his dependence becomes a major part of his characterization and several storylines.

The medication helps explain House’s limp, irritability, and willingness to ignore medical and workplace rules. It also creates serious consequences, including withdrawal, rehabilitation, hallucinations, and conflicts with colleagues.

House’s Vicodin use is fictionalized for drama, but the show repeatedly treats it as substance dependence rather than a harmless personality trait. The drug’s importance distinguishes House from many television doctors whose personal health has little effect on their work.