The Benadryl challenge is an internet challenge that emerged in 2020, revolving around the deliberate consumption, excessive use and overdose of the antihistamine medicine diphenhydramine (commonly sold in the United States under the brand name Benadryl), [lower-alpha 1] which acts as a deliriant in high doses. [3] The challenge, which reportedly spread via the social media platform TikTok, instructs participants to film themselves consuming large doses of Benadryl and documenting the effect of tripping or hallucinating.
Numerous authorities have advised against the challenge, as deliberate overconsumption of diphenhydramine can lead to adverse effects, including confusion, delirium, psychosis, organ damage, hyperthermia, convulsions, coma, and death. On September 24, 2020, the FDA formally released a statement advising parents and medical practitioners to be aware of the challenge's prevalence and its risks. [4]
The recreational use of diphenhydramine and addiction is well-reported in medical literature, and overdoses are treatable with correct intervention. Its psychoactive effects at high dosages, which are a symptom of anticholinergic poisoning, are also well documented. In severe cases, the overdose of diphenhydramine and other anticholinergic medicines can lead to a phenomenon referred to as an anticholinergic toxidrome, [5] which can affect organ systems throughout the body, including the nervous system and cardiovascular system.
Several participants have been hospitalized as a result of the challenge, including three teenagers admitted to the Cook Children's Medical Center after consuming at least 14 diphenhydramine tablets, [6] and a 15-year-old Oklahoman teen who died from an overdose after attempting to take part. [7] [8] [9] TikTok said it had not seen such "content trend" but proceeded to block the search term to prevent copycats. [10]
Attention towards the challenge was renewed in 2023 when Jacob Stevens, 13, a citizen of Columbus, Ohio, [10] died after six days in intensive care. Stevens had his friends film him as he consumed over a dozen Benadryl tablets, and began convulsing shortly afterwards. Upon admission to an intensive care unit, it was found that he had suffered critical brain damage, and he died following six days of mechanical ventilation. [11] TikTok expressed sympathy for the family and reiterated that this type of content is prohibited on the platform. [12] Hashtags such as "Benadryl" and "BenadrylChallenge" have been disabled, and the challenge does not appear to be widespread. [10] Although searching for "Benadryl" has been blocked since 2020, it can still result in suggestions such as "bena challenge" or "benary changle" and videos related to the original challenge. [11]
The diphenhydramine from the pills can be a hallucinogen when taken in large quantities. Users have reported seeing a figure known as "The Hat Man" when taking 8-12 pills within a 15-minute span. The Hat Man has been described as a tall shadowy figure with a hat and red eyes. Other hallucinations can consist of: Shadow figures, spiders, sensations of spiders, insects, dead or alive relatives, voices talking, crying noises, falling sensation, twitching/breathing walls.
Cold medicines are a group of medications taken individually or in combination as a treatment for the symptoms of the common cold and similar conditions of the upper respiratory tract. The term encompasses a broad array of drugs, including analgesics, antihistamines and decongestants, among many others. It also includes drugs which are marketed as cough suppressants or antitussives, but their effectiveness in reducing cough symptoms is unclear or minimal.
H1 antagonists, also called H1 blockers, are a class of medications that block the action of histamine at the H1 receptor, helping to relieve allergic reactions. Agents where the main therapeutic effect is mediated by negative modulation of histamine receptors are termed antihistamines; other agents may have antihistaminergic action but are not true antihistamines.
Diphenhydramine (DPH) is an antihistamine and sedative mainly used to treat allergies, insomnia, and symptoms of the common cold. It is also less commonly used for tremors in parkinsonism, and nausea. It is taken by mouth, injected into a vein, injected into a muscle, or applied to the skin. Maximal effect is typically around two hours after a dose, and effects can last for up to seven hours.
A shadow person is the perception of shadow as a living species, humanoid figure, sometimes interpreted as the presence of a spirit or other entity by believers in the paranormal or supernatural.
A paradoxical reaction is an effect of a chemical substance, such as a medical drug, that is opposite to what would usually be expected. An example of a paradoxical reaction is pain caused by a pain relief medication.
Benadryl is a brand of various antihistamine medications used to stop allergies, whose content varies in different countries, but which includes some combination of diphenhydramine, acrivastine, and/or cetirizine.
Dimenhydrinate, sold under the brand name Dramamine, among others, is an over-the-counter medication used to treat motion sickness and nausea. Dimenhydrinate is a theoclate salt composed of diphenhydramine and 8-chlorotheophylline in a 1:1 ratio.
Promethazine, sold under the brand name Phenergan among others, is a first-generation antihistamine, antipsychotic, sedative, and antiemetic used to treat allergies, insomnia, and nausea. It may also help with some symptoms associated with the common cold and may also be used for sedating people who are agitated or anxious, an effect that has led to some recreational use. Promethazine is taken by mouth (oral), as a rectal suppository, or by injection into a muscle (IM).
Doxylamine, sold under the brand name Unisom among others, is an antihistamine medication which is used in the treatment of insomnia and allergies. It is also used to treat morning sickness in pregnant women in combination with pyridoxine (vitamin B6). Doxylamine is available over-the-counter, and is used in nighttime cold medicines, such as NyQuil, as well as in pain medications containing acetaminophen and codeine, to help with sleep. The medication is taken by mouth.
Clemastine, also known as meclastin, is a first-generation H1 histamine antagonist (antihistamine) with anticholinergic properties (drying) and sedative side effects. Like all first-generation antihistamines, it is sedating.
Doxepin is a medication belonging to the tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) class of drugs used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic hives, and insomnia. For hives it is a less preferred alternative to antihistamines. It has a mild to moderate benefit for sleeping problems. It is used as a cream for itchiness due to atopic dermatitis or lichen simplex chronicus.
Orphenadrine is an anticholinergic drug of the ethanolamine antihistamine class; it is closely related to diphenhydramine. It is a muscle relaxant that is used to treat muscle pain and to help with motor control in Parkinson's disease, but has largely been superseded by newer drugs. It is considered a dirty drug due to its multiple mechanisms of action in different pathways. It was discovered and developed in the 1940s.
Ketotifen is an antihistamine medication and a mast cell stabilizer used to treat allergic conditions such as conjunctivitis, asthma, and urticaria (hives). Ketotifen is available in ophthalmic and oral forms: the ophthalmic form relieves eye itchiness and irritation associated with seasonal allergies, while the oral form helps prevent systemic conditions such as asthma attacks and allergic reactions. In addition to treating allergies, ketotifen has shown efficacy in managing systemic mast cell diseases such as mastocytosis and mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), which involve abnormal accumulation or activation of mast cells throughout the body. Ketotifen is also used for other allergic-type conditions like atopic dermatitis (eczema) and food allergies.
Sominex is the trademarked name for several over the counter sleep aids.
Trihexyphenidyl is an antispasmodic drug used to treat stiffness, tremors, spasms, and poor muscle control. It is an agent of the antimuscarinic class and is often used in management of Parkinson's disease. It was approved by the FDA for the treatment of Parkinson's in the US in 2003.
Acrivastine is a medication used for the treatment of allergies and hay fever. It is a second-generation H1-receptor antagonist antihistamine and works by blocking histamine H1 receptors.
Tripelennamine, sold under the brand name Pyribenzamine by Novartis, is a drug that is used as an antipruritic and first-generation antihistamine. It can be used in the treatment of asthma, hay fever, rhinitis, and urticaria, but is now less common as it has been replaced by newer antihistamines. The drug was patented at CIBA, which merged with Geigy into Ciba-Geigy, and eventually becoming Novartis.
Antihistamines are drugs which treat allergic rhinitis, common cold, influenza, and other allergies. Typically, people take antihistamines as an inexpensive, generic drug that can be bought without a prescription and provides relief from nasal congestion, sneezing, or hives caused by pollen, dust mites, or animal allergy with few side effects. Antihistamines are usually for short-term treatment. Chronic allergies increase the risk of health problems which antihistamines might not treat, including asthma, sinusitis, and lower respiratory tract infection. Consultation of a medical professional is recommended for those who intend to take antihistamines for longer-term use.
The milk crate challenge, also known as the crate challenge, is a video challenge that became viral online in August 2021. The challenge involves stacking milk crates into a structure that resembles a podium, with both sides of the structure functioning as stairs. The participant is expected to climb up to the top of the crates and climb back down without destroying the structure or falling, risking injury. The activity has faced criticism by health professionals for its unnecessary risk to personal health. Social media platform TikTok, where the trend was popularized, said it would eliminate search results for "milk crate challenge" citing its policy that "prohibits content that promotes or glorifies dangerous acts."