2023 in review: TikTok puts a stop to a deadly trend

For the last couple of years, TikTok has opened the doors to some scary "challenges," daring young people to do dangerous things and see what happens. In 2023, it was the so-called Benadryl challenge that took lives. For example, a 13-year-old boy from the American state of Ohio died after overdosing on Benadryl, as he was taking part in the viral 'benadrylchallenge' that dares people to take more than a dozen antihistamine pills.

Jacob Stevens, a 13-year-old boy from the American state of Ohio, died in April after overdosing on Benadryl. He was at home with his friends when he overdosed. His friends were actually filming the whole experience, as they thought it would be funny to share online.

Photo: Jacob Stevens /Go Fund me

Stevens, who played football and his family described as well-mannered and always able to make people smile, had a seizure quickly after taking the pills. After CPR, he was rushed to the hospital, where doctors said he was brain dead. After saying their goodbyes, the family took him off life support after six days in the hospital.

Photo: Ady Calhoun (sister)/ Facebook

Speaking to the local Fox News station, Stevens’ dad and grandma warned parents to monitor their children’s social media use. They wanted to share the stark reality of what could happen and started a campaign to put an age limit on buying Benadryl, which currently does not exist in the US.

Photo released by his father: Justin Stevens / Facebook

Just days after Stevens’ public death, another boy participated in the challenge. His mom, who didn't share their names, told NBC she found him "curled in a fetal position on the floor, eyes dilated, like staring into space, couldn’t move, couldn’t walk.” He survived after being taken to the hospital, but the mom said she now locks up her medications.

Image: NBC 4, New York

Another tragedy struck the United States when two 15-year-old girls who took Benadryl together both ended up dead in Ashland City, Tennessee.

Photo: Mat Napo / Unsplash

In 2020, 15-year-old Chloe Marie Phillips died from an overdose of Benadryl after reportedly taking part in the challenge. According to the obituary, the Oklahoma native loved music, was a social butterfly, and wanted to be a lawyer. “On that journey, she looked forward to her first kiss, getting her driver’s license, and one day going to Paris,” it reads.

Image: Chloe Marie Phillips, Eisenhower Funeral Home

After Phillips’ death, Benadryl maker Johnson & Johnson warned about the dangers of the stunt. “The Benadryl TikTok trend is extremely concerning, dangerous, and [it] should be stopped immediately,” the antihistamine’s manufacturer told TooFab magazine.

The viral challenge dares people, particularly teens, to take between 12 and 14 of the common allergy pills so they will hallucinate. Participants then record and share their experiences on social media platforms.

Image: paappiid / TikTok

Benadryl is an over-the-counter antihistamine medication commonly used to relieve allergy symptoms. Its active ingredient, diphenhydramine, also relieves motion sickness, mild cases of Parkinson’s disease, and insomnia (although it’s not recommended as a sleep aid). It’s one of the most commonly misused non-prescription drugs in the US, and overdoses can kill people in 2-18 hours.

In Sept. 2020, the FDA also issued a warning on the deadly trend:
“Taking higher than recommended doses of diphenhydramine can lead to serious heart problems, seizures, coma, or even death. We are aware of news reports of teenagers ending up in emergency rooms or dying after participating in the 'Benadryl Challenge' encouraged in videos posted on the social media application TikTok.”

Last year, a mom also shared the story of her 13-year-old girl overdosing on the drug (mixed with anxiety and depression meds). At 5 am, the mom, a healthcare worker, found her daughter hallucinating with a rapid heart rate and blood pressure “through the roof.” She rushed her to the hospital.

Image: nikkitaedmond / TikTok

The woman’s daughter ended up hallucinating for 22 hours with no memory of it at all. "There is a stupid Benadryl challenge going on... She almost died," the woman said on TikTok. "It’s the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. At 13, she could have very well ended her life not knowing an antihistamine can kill you; these kids take these meds and think everything will be fine."

Image: nikkitaedmond / TikTok

According to a CDC report, nearly 15% of overdose deaths during 2019–2020 were antihistamine-positive, 4% were antihistamine-involved, and 90 deaths involved antihistamines as the sole drug, as most were mixed with opioids (which may be frequently adulterated with Benadryl).

Photo: Karolina Grabowska / Pexels

While it’s not common, regularly taking Benadryl can lead to addiction. One study found that quitting cold turkey even came with strong withdrawal symptoms. Meanwhile, another study found that regular use may increase the risk of dementia in older age.

Photo: Cottonbro Studio / Pexels

Other social media challenges have also been deadly. For instance, TikTok was sued after a 10-year-old girl died from the Blackout challenge, which involved holding her breath until she passed out. The Tide Pod challenge involved eating laundry pods for internet fun. It killed at least eight people and poisoned around 7,000.

Image: @unlatched /Twitter via NBC 26 /YouTube

Amid the controversy, TikTok has blocked people from searching for videos about the Benadryl challenge (or brendylchallenge, which may have been a workaround) and even just 'Benadryl.' Now, when you search these words, TikTok brings you to a safety page.

Image: TikTok