was included as an instant download with pre-orders of Wake Up Call, which were accepted the next day. According to lead singer Tyler Connolly, the song was originally titled "Rx" but the band decided to change it after finding out fans were searching for a song called "Medicate" upon its release. On November 3, 2017, the band released a "symphonic acoustic" version of the song that included an acoustic and orchestral background. Composition and lyrics The lyrics of the single discuss the opioid epidemic that has affected North America, particularly the United States. The first part of the track's chorus consists of Connolly singing, "I am so freaking bored / Nothing to do today". Connolly said the chorus had been written before the rest of the song; he told iHeartRadio he was "bored and sitting around", and told Billboard, "I probably could have talked about anything and made the song silly and stupid". The chorus shifts into more serious subject matter, finishing with the lyrics, "I guess I'll sit around and medicate". The decision to write about drug abuse came after the death of a friend's wife, who took a cocktail of pills. Connolly said he wanted to be sure the lyrics did not convey the message that it is "cool to be high" or that the band were taking advantage or "poking fun" at issues surrounding substance abuse. Further inspiration came from Connolly's experience of seeking therapy following his divorce in 2010; he told Billboard, "...the first thing [the therapist] said was, 'I want to put you on some beta blockers or some sort of anti-depressant stuff' and I'm like, 'No! No way! What? How is that the first thing you want to do?'" These experiences motivated Connolly to write about society's over-dependence on prescription drugs; he said, "I just feel like something’s wrong and I felt like the song needed to be written and people needed to hear it. It seems like every week something terrible is happening". The music of "Rx (Medicate)" contains an acoustic guitar riff, a distinctive whistling tune performed by Connolly, the sound of strings in the background, and elements of country music. Classic Rock called the track "an atmospheric piece of acoustic pop-rock", and Billboard and Loudwire both said it leans more towards the pop genre rather than the band's usual hard-rock sound. This has been attributed to Connolly's learning to play the