Sick new TikTok challenge sends kids to hospital for Benadryl overdose
A new TikTok challenge is leading to an increase in Benadryl overdoses among teenagers, prompting emergency room visits. Medical professionals are warning that the doses required for hallucinations can also cause severe health risks. Parents are urged to monitor their children for warning signs and discuss the dangers of such online trends.
- ▪Five teenagers were treated for Benadryl overdoses at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego in one week.
- ▪The challenge involves taking large amounts of diphenhydramine to trigger hallucinations.
- ▪Doctors warn that the same doses that induce hallucinations can lead to cardiac and respiratory arrest.
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Metro Sick new TikTok challenge sends kids to hospital for Benadryl overdose By Daniel Farr Published May 29, 2026, 11:54 p.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The California Post on Google A dangerous TikTok-driven challenge is landing teenagers in emergency rooms, and doctors say it’s happening fast. Five teens were treated for Benadryl overdoses at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego in just one week leading up to Memorial Day weekend, after participating in a viral social media challenge that medical experts warn can quickly spiral into life-threatening territory, according to a report from CBS8. The patients ranged from 16 years old to individuals in their early 20s. 4 A group of students walking in school hallway.
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