The 'Benadryl Challenge' and unsafe diphenhydramine use
Some videos encourage teens to take unsafe amounts of diphenhydramine to hallucinate. An overdose can cause seizures, abnormal heart rhythms, or death. Explain the risk plainly, and store medicines where they are not simply available.
One of several viral challenges on short-video feeds we track.
- Most relevant to:
- Ages 9–12, 13–15, 16–17
- Published:
- Last reviewed:
Start here: Store all medicines — including over-the-counter ones — locked or out of reach, and keep only what you need on hand.
What is happening
- The dare encourages teens to swallow far more than the recommended dose of a common over-the-counter allergy medicine (diphenhydramine, sold as Benadryl) to trigger hallucinations.
- It spreads on short-video feeds where 'trip' clips chase views; because the medicine is cheap, legal, and already in most homes, it feels deceptively harmless to kids.
- Large doses are toxic: they can cause a racing heart, seizures, hallucinations, coma, and death. The U.S. FDA and poison centers issued warnings after teen hospitalizations and deaths.
Why it matters
Potential impact: Diphenhydramine toxicity: racing heart, agitation and confusion, blurred vision, seizures, coma, and death. The FDA and poison centres issued warnings after teenage hospitalizations and deaths.
Recommended next step: Priority guidance. A timely conversation, settings check, or safety step is recommended.
What to watch for
- Missing or rapidly emptied boxes of allergy medicine, or large quantities bought or hoarded.
- Confusion, agitation, a flushed face, blurred vision, a pounding heartbeat, or drowsiness you can't explain.
- Talk of a 'Benadryl', 'DPH', or 'tripping' challenge among friends or in their feed.
What parents can do
- Store all medicines — including over-the-counter ones — locked or out of reach, and keep only what you need on hand.
- Explain that 'it's just allergy medicine' is exactly why this dare is dangerous: ordinary medicines become poisons in large doses.
- Save Poison Control: in the U.S. call 1-800-222-1222 (free, 24/7). If your child is unresponsive, having a seizure, or not breathing normally, call 911.
- Use platform teen / parental supervision and report dare videos so the feed stops surfacing them.
Start the conversation
“Over-the-counter doesn't mean safe at any dose. Taking a handful of allergy pills can stop a heart rhythm — it is not a legal high, it is an overdose.”
Say it in your own words, before anything has gone wrong. A child who has heard this once already knows where to go the day it matters.
In the news
Independent reporting on this topic from established news organizations. Press play to watch in place; links are re-verified on a schedule, so a clip that is taken down is flagged and removed.
- Priority guidance — A timely conversation, settings check, or safety step is recommended.NBC 15 WPMI
FDA warns parents about the deadly 'Benadryl Challenge'
Sources and evidence
Evidence: Confirmed. Corroborated by two or more independent organizations — safety bodies, regulators, researchers, or established newsrooms. Last reviewed
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration: FDA warns about serious problems with high doses of the allergy medicine diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
- America's Poison Centers (Poison Control): Diphenhydramine misuse and the 'Benadryl Challenge'
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Viral online challenges: guidance for parents
If this is happening now
- Call Poison Control immediately — 1-800-222-1222 in the US — or emergency services if the teen is seizing, unresponsive, or has a racing or irregular heartbeat.
- Do not wait for symptoms, and do not try to make them vomit. Bring the packet so clinicians know the dose and the formulation.
- Stay with them. Confusion and agitation are part of the toxicity, and a teen in that state can hurt themselves without meaning to.
- Afterwards, move medicines — including over-the-counter ones — out of reach or locked, and keep only what you need in the house.
If a child is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services. To report online exploitation, use the NCMEC CyberTipline, or Take It Down to get an image removed.
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