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If you’ve ever scrolled through TikTok and marveled at how quickly a trend can take off, you’re not alone. For millions of users, especially teenagers, these viral challenges are a way to bond, test boundaries, and maybe even grab a quick burst of online fame. The Benadryl Challenge became one of those infamous trends—turning a common allergy medicine into the centerpiece of a dangerous online dare.
On the surface, Benadryl is about as ordinary as it gets. In the U.S., it’s a brand name for over-the-counter allergy drugs containing diphenhydramine. This medication was first approved by the FDA in 1946, and today, it’s manufactured by Johnson & Johnson. The intended use is pretty simple: relieve sneezing, itching, or a runny nose. Millions of bottles are sold every year, and for most people, the most annoying side effect is drowsiness. But online, Benadryl’s reputation shifted dramatically in 2020.
That’s when the “Benadryl Challenge” began circulating on TikTok. The premise? Take large, sometimes massive, doses of Benadryl, film yourself experiencing hallucinations, and post the results for likes and comments. The recommended adult dose is just one to two tablets every 4 to 6 hours—never more than six tablets in 24 hours. But the challenge encouraged teens to take a dozen pills or more in one go, chasing the disorienting, sometimes hallucinogenic, side effects that can occur at much higher doses.
This challenge didn’t just stay online. In May 2020, Cook Children’s Medical Center in Texas treated three teenagers who’d each swallowed at least 14 diphenhydramine tablets. Each of them ended up hospitalized. The mechanism at work is diphenhydramine’s anticholinergic properties. When taken in excess, it blocks acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter, in the central nervous system. That can trigger hallucinations, confusion, delirium, and—in serious cases—organ damage, hyperthermia, dangerous heart arrhythmias, seizures, coma, or death.
Reports of harm spread quickly. In August 2020, news outlets reported that a 15-year-old in Oklahoma died after attempting the Benadryl Challenge. Family statements, later cited by multiple sources, linked her death directly to the trend. In response, the Food and Drug Administration issued a formal warning on September 24, 2020, urging parents and healthcare providers to be vigilant about the challenge’s risks. The FDA specifically emphasized the dangers of high doses of diphenhydramine, noting that overdose symptoms could develop rapidly and be fatal within hours.
The challenge resurfaced in 2023 when 13-year-old Jacob Stevens from Columbus, Ohio died after consuming over a dozen Benadryl tablets while his friends filmed the event. After he began convulsing, Jacob was admitted to intensive care and spent six days on mechanical ventilation. Ultimately, he suffered critical brain damage and did not survive. This incident renewed media attention and public concern over the challenge’s persistence.
TikTok, the platform most associated with the Benadryl Challenge, said that it had never seen this content become a widespread trend. However, the company did take steps to prevent further harm. In 2020, TikTok blocked searches for “Benadryl” and “BenadrylChallenge,” making it harder for users to find related videos. These terms remain blocked as of 2025, but variants like “bena challenge” or “benary changle” still occasionally yield results and related videos, according to news reports. TikTok also reiterated that such content violates its policies and expressed sympathy to victims’ families.
Despite these precautions, poison control centers and clinicians have documented recurring cases of intentional high-dose diphenhydramine misuse, particularly among teenagers. News outlets reported additional attempts in 2024 and 2025, with multiple hospitalizations linked to the challenge. Medical literature, going back years, describes diphenhydramine as a substance with abuse potential, especially among adolescents who lack access to other psychoactive drugs.
At high doses, diphenhydramine acts as a deliriant, producing vivid hallucinations and distorted perceptions. It also causes dangerous physical symptoms—dry mouth, dilated pupils, rapid heartbeat, and sometimes seizures. Toxicologists point to a phenomenon called “anticholinergic toxidrome,” a medical emergency that can affect both the brain and vital organs. Physostigmine is the only drug sometimes used to reverse severe anticholinergic poisoning, but its administration is risky and requires expert medical supervision.
The Benadryl Challenge has prompted intense criticism of both social media and over-the-counter drug regulation. Some parents and advocacy groups argue that TikTok was slow to act, while others point out that diphenhydramine is widely available and sold without prescription in the U.S., Canada, and many other countries. The challenge also reignited debates about how platforms should balance censorship with free expression and whether algorithm-driven content recommendations contribute to viral, risky trends.
Medical experts are nearly unanimous in their warnings. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, for example, discourages using diphenhydramine even for insomnia, citing poor effectiveness and safety concerns. At high doses, side effects can include confusion, memory loss, and increased risk for dementia in older adults. The same properties that make Benadryl sedating and effective for allergies are also what make it dangerous in excess.
Clinicians and toxicologists also note the challenge’s persistence—even after major crackdowns. News organizations have noted that suggestions and related content sometimes slip through the filters, resurfacing the challenge in new forms. Local news stories in 2024 and 2025 highlighted ongoing incidents, proving that even as some safeguards improve, total prevention remains elusive.
The debate now centers on who bears responsibility and how to prevent future tragedies. Some argue that platforms must do more to monitor and flag harmful content proactively, using artificial intelligence and human moderation. Others call for tighter controls on over-the-counter sales of high-risk medications like diphenhydramine, perhaps moving them behind the counter or limiting the amount sold per purchase.
Not everyone agrees on the right path forward. Some critics claim that overemphasizing rare but tragic cases could lead to overregulation and restrict access for people who rely on these medications responsibly. Meanwhile, advocates for stricter rules highlight that hospitalizations and deaths—however infrequent—point to a real, preventable risk, especially among vulnerable youth.
As the challenge continues to appear in headlines, the community is left debating: Should platforms and regulators focus on rooting out every trace of these trends—or would that simply drive them underground and make them harder to detect? And with new viral challenges popping up every year, how can public health efforts stay one step ahead?