Urgent warning from health experts over deadly TikTok Benadryl challenge
Health experts today warned of a viral but deadly TikTok trend involving one of the most popular allergy medicines.
The Benadryl Challenge has already killed two teenagers in the US. It sees people, usually children, take multiple antihistamine tablets to induce hallucinations before posting videos of their experience.
Jacob Stevens, 13, of Ohio, died on April 12 after overdosing on Benadryl as part of the social media challenge. 15-year-old Chloe Marie Phillips passed away in 2020.
One medic called the trend a “death rap,” while pharmacy experts urged social media to better monitor the “worrying” challenge.
In addition to causing hallucinations, an overdose of it can lead to heart failure, stroke, seizures or brain damage.
Jacob Stevens took a large amount of pills as part of the Benadryl Challenge and died six days later
Jacob’s family released this photo of him on life support to raise awareness of the dangers of the ‘Benadryl Challenge’ trend sweeping TikTok
On August 21, 2020, 15-year-old Chloe Marie Phillips of Oklahoma died after participating in the social media challenge.
Jacob’s body began to seize after the 13-year-old swallowed a large amount of the antihistamine allergy pills. His friends were filming to see what would happen.
He was rushed to hospital when his body broke down.
The teen was put on a ventilator and spent six days in hospital before doctors discovered his brain had stopped responding.
Jacob’s family has begun pushing lawmakers to take steps to prevent other children from participating in such a challenge by placing age restrictions on over-the-counter drugs like Benadryl.
They also want TikTok to impose an age restriction on account creation, forcing users to identify themselves before being allowed to enter the platform.
On August 21, 2020, Chloe from Oklahoma passed away after participating in the social media challenge.
Janette Sissy Leasure, Chloe’s great-aunt, posted a now-deleted message on Facebook at the time, urging families to be on the lookout for children taking part in the “Benadryl Challenge.”
“This needs to stop taking our kids or putting them in the hospital,” she wrote. “Don’t delay, kids… I don’t want families to go through what we’re going through.”
Benadryl, also called dyphenhydromine, is a type of antihistamine.
Antihistamines are allergy medications that work by blocking the production of histamine – a chemical the body produces when it detects something it thinks is harmful.
In hay fever sufferers, the body mistakes pollen for a dangerous substance and releases histamine, which causes symptoms such as sneezing and itchy eyes.
Dr. Leyla Hannbeck CEO of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies said: ‘It is very concerning to hear about these drug challenges on social media.
“This isn’t the first time a challenge with over-the-counter drugs has resulted in serious harm and death.”
She urged social media to “take steps to monitor this effectively” so that videos stop going viral.
And Dr Jen Caudle, an American doctor who shares videos from TikTok, said: ‘It’s a death trap if you ask me and the latest tragedy is an example of that.
“This is a warning to parents, to children, to people out there. Don’t try this.’
She added: ‘Taking too much can obviously cause a number of symptoms from heart problems to seizures and even death – as we’re seeing.
Benadryl, also called dyphenhydromine, is a type of antihistamine. These are allergy medications that work by blocking the production of histamine – a chemical the body produces when it detects something it thinks is harmful.
The 13-year-old from Ohio was remembered as a fun-loving and caring boy who could brighten anyone’s day
Chloe (pictured with her father, Dustin Cook) died during the ‘Benadryl Challenge’. Her family has since warned of the dangers of the viral TikTok challenge
Dr. Caudle said people should only take medicines as described and urged parents to store their medicines to ensure they are not easily accessible
TikTok has taken action by banning the search for ‘Benadryl Challenge’. However, those posting videos are now using code words like “bernadeyl trend” and “bena tiktok challenge,” so the clips can still be found.
In response to the 2020 challenge, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement warning of the dangers of participating.
“Taking higher than recommended doses of the common over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medicine diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can lead to serious heart problems, seizures, coma or even death,” the FDA wrote.
“We are aware of news reports of teens ending up in the emergency room or dying after participating in the ‘Benadryl Challenge’, encouraged in videos posted on the social media application TikTok.”
A spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson, the pharmaceutical giant that markets the Benadryl brand, previously said of the trend: “The health and safety of people using our products is our top priority.
“The Benadryl TikTok trend is extremely concerning, dangerous and must be stopped immediately.
“As with any drug, abuse or misuse can lead to serious side effects with potentially long-lasting consequences, and Benadryl products should be used only as directed by the label.”