A 13-year-old boy from Ohio, US tragically died after overdosing on over-the-counter medication while attempting a viral TikTok trend. The boy was attempting the ‘Benadryl Challenge’, which encourages viewers to take large doses of the antihistamine to induce hallucinations.
The parents of a 13-year-old boy from the United State’s Ohio, who died doing the TikTok ‘Benadryl Challenge’, have started warning other parents about the dangerous social media trend.
According to a report on ABC6.com, Jacob Stevens, the boy, passed away after spending almost a week on a ventilator. His family revealed that he had ingested 12 to 14 pills of an over-the-counter antihistamine in a bid to experience hallucinations. Jacob’s father, Justin Stevens, told ABC6 that his son and his friends were recording him while he attempted the social media challenge. However, Jacob’s body began to convulse during the ordeal.
After six days on a ventilator, Jacob died; a moment his grieving father called “the worst day of his life.”
For several years, the Food and Drug Administration has been raising concerns about overdoses linked to the “Benadryl Challenge” on TikTok. Benadryl is composed of diphenhydramine, an antihistamine that is used to temporarily alleviate symptoms caused by allergies or the common cold. The FDA has clarified that while diphenhydramine is safe and effective when used as directed, higher doses can result in severe heart issues, seizures, coma, or even death.
The unit of Johnson & Johnson is responsible for producing Benadryl has also cautioned on its website that this “dangerous trend” must be stopped immediately. Both the company and the FDA have advised adults to keep medications like Benadryl out of children’s reach.