'Benadryl challenge' leads to one death and hospitalizes more
New York Post • • health
Key Points:
- The "Benadryl challenge," a dangerous social media trend encouraging teens to overdose on Benadryl to achieve a high, is resurging after first appearing six years ago, prompting renewed warnings from doctors.
- Overdosing on Benadryl, which contains diphenhydramine, can cause severe medical issues including high heart rate, kidney dysfunction, arrhythmia, seizures, coma, and even death.
- A Texas hospital reported over 100 Benadryl overdose cases in the past six months, including one recent death, although the number of cases is currently lower than during the 2020 peak of the trend.
- The FDA previously issued warnings about the dangers of high-dose Benadryl use, urged TikTok to remove related videos, and advised parents to secure medications to prevent misuse by children.
- Medical professionals emphasize the importance of parents having open, honest conversations with their children about the risks of social media challenges and medication misuse.
