AAP

AAP 2025: TikTok challenge drives spike in diphenhydramine toxicity among teens

October 1, 2025

Diphenhydramine misuse among adolescents and young adults has risen sharply following the emergence of the “Benadryl Challenge,” a dangerous social media trend that first appeared on TikTok in 2020 and resurfaced in 2023. The challenge promotes ingestion of over 300 mg of diphenhydramine, a first-generation antihistamine with anticholinergic properties, to induce hallucinations or get “high.”

A retrospective study analyzed 413 diphenhydramine-related adverse event reports in individuals aged 10 to 25 from FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) between January 2013 and December 2024. Using Auto Regressive Integrative Moving Average (ARIMA) modeling, researchers forecasted expected report volumes and found that actual reports exceeded predictions multiple times after the challenge’s emergence, with peaks in 2020 and 2023. Toxicities included seizures, arrhythmias, coma, and death. While causality can’t be confirmed, the temporal association and sustained reporting suggest a concerning trend.

These findings, presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference, highlight the need for clinicians to counsel families on the risks of over-the-counter medication misuse and remain vigilant to the influence of social media on adolescent health behaviors.

Source:

(2025, September 27). American Academy of Pediatrics. Social Media Challenge: Encouraging Adolescents to Engage in Dangerous Over-the-Counter Drug Use [News release]. https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases-from-aap-conferences/social-media-challenge-encouraging-adolescents-to-engage-in-dangerous-over-the-counter-drug-use/