June 17, 2026
Courtenay Harris Bond/PhillyVoice
An increasing number of children are overdosing on Benadryl and similar medications in an attempt to get high, America's Poison Control Centers warns.
Poison control centers have seen an alarming rise in teens ingesting large amounts of Benadryl and similar over-the-counter allergy medications and sleep aids.
The increase appears to be due to attempts to get high rather than due to accidental overdoses, according to an advisory from America's Poison Control Centers. The uptick may be related to a social media trend called the Benadryl Challenge, in which teens take as many as 12 tablets of the medication at a time to induce euphoria and hallucinations. That's way above the recommendations of one pill every four to six hours and no more than six in 24 hours.
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Taking high doses of diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in Benadryl, can lead to heart problems, seizures, coma and death, America's Poison Control Centers warned.
The latest victim of diphenhydramine poisoning is a 15-year-old girl in Oklahoma, who was left brain dead after overdosing on Benadryl. Three other children's deaths in Connecticut also were recently linked to the ongoing social media trend, according to news reports.
In the first five months of this year, cases involving diphenhydramine poisonings among teens ages 13 to 19 rose to 6,179 — more than double the amount compared to the same period in 2025.
More than 13% of the cases have been related to intentional abuse, compared to roughly 7% in 2020. The numbers are continuing to rise, America's Poison Control Centers said.
Last year, cases increased more than 30% to 13,284 from 10,068 in 2024.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning in 2020 to health care providers, parents and caregivers, responding to a surge of reports of children landing in emergency departments and deaths related to diphenhydramine overdoses.
TikTok banned the use of the word "Benadryl" in 2020. But children are using variations of the word, Newsweek reported.
Symptoms of diphenhydramine poisoning include:
• Drowsiness or extreme sleepiness
• Agitation
• Fast heart rate
• Nausea or vomiting
• Hallucinations
• Seizures
• Dangerous heart rhythm problems
• Loss of consciousness
People are advised to contact their local Poison Control Centers immediately if they suspect misuse or have questions by calling 1-800-222-1222 or visiting PoisonHelp.org.
