Benadryl Challenge: Overdose symptoms explored as 13-year-old Ohio boy dies from participating in viral trend 

Benadryl Challenge, a dangerous TikTok trend, has claimed yet another life. This time, it is that of 13-year-old Jacob Stevens from Ohio, who passed away a week after he was put on a ventilator as he consumed about 12 to 14 pills of the antihistamine. Allegedly, this was done to induce hallucinations, which is a part of the infamous TikTok trend.

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of death and sensitive information about potentially fatal drug usage. Readers' discretion is advised.

The parents of the boy claimed that Jacob and his friends were filming him as he attempted the Bendaryl Challenge, and just then, his body began seizing. While the doctors tried their best to revive the kid, they were not successful in doing so, leading to his untimely demise. The devastated father claimed that it was the “worst day of his life,” as he said:

“No brain scan, there was nothing there. They said we could keep him on the vent, that he could lay there — but he will never open his eyes, he’ll never breathe, smile, walk or talk.”

Parents of the deceased child are now spreading awareness about the dark side of social media, warning fellow parents not to leave their kids unattended and unsupervised on the internet. Speaking about the same, Jacob's father said:

“Keep an eye at what they’re doing on that phone. Talk to them about the situation. I want everyone to know about my son.”

The Benadryl Challenge went viral in 2020, and Jacob is not the first teen to participate in it. Previously, many other kids, teenagers, and even adults have participated in the trend and have either lost their lives or are suffering from severe medical implications resulting from the same.

---

From sleepiness to dry mouth to coma: Exploring the dangerous side effects of the Benadryl Challenge

The Benadryl challenge on TikTok involves the participant consuming dangerously excessive amounts of the drug and then filming the whole act and putting it on social media. Mostly, teens indulge in the trend for clout and publicity. However, this is proving to be dangerous as many kids like Jacob have lost their lives or are suffering from severe medical conditions as a side effect of consuming the drug.

Benadryl, also known as diphenhydramine, is an over-the-counter drug that causes a lot of side effects like sleepiness, dry mouth, irregular heartbeat, and coma. Furthermore, if someone has consumed an excessive amount of the drug, it usually reflects in their behavior, as they appear to be dizzy.

As per various websites like Single Care, Benadryl can also cause side effects like urinary retention and constipation, low blood pressure, hallucinations, and delirium. If left untreated, it can also lead to death.

Moreover, there is a chance of possible seizures, just like in the case of the 13-year-old Ohio boy, who died due to the Benadryl challenge.

Furthermore, doctors and medical professionals advise state that Benadryl should ideally be used when the patient is suffering from rashes, runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes, or even a cough. It is also used to treat certain patients with diseases like Parkinson’s.

The 13-year-old Ohio boy who passed away due to the Benadryl Challenge has left behind grief-stricken family members who are now recommending that TikTok impose safeguards to protect minors.

Sadly, Jacob is not the first teen to lose his life to the Benadryl Challenge. In August 2020, a 15-year-old girl also overdosed on the drug and ultimately passed away. Seeing the number of cases of drug overdoses, the parent company, Johnson & Johnson, has also issued an advisory stating that the overdose of the drug can be extremely dangerous.

Meanwhile, netizens who spot such videos on social media are encouraged to report them so that TikTok can successfully ban them from the platform.