MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A tragic case involving an Oklahoma teenager is prompting local health experts to remind parents that even over-the-counter medications can become deadly when they’re misused.
The warning comes after the father of a 15-year-old Oklahoma girl said his daughter was declared brain dead after allegedly participating in the so-called “Benadryl Challenge,” a dangerous social media trend that encourages people to take excessive amounts of the allergy medication to experience hallucinations.
While TikTok now blocks searches for “Benadryl Challenge,” FOX13 found the platform instead displays a warning that says some substances can be dangerous when used or misused and directs users to educational resources.
Despite those safeguards, Mid-South health experts said the risks are still there.
“Medicines are dangerous. Medicines are poisons. It’s just a matter of what dose you take,” said Stephen Hadley, owner and pharmacist at Kirby Whitten Pharmacy.
Benadryl, or diphenhydramine, is considered safe when used as directed. However, pharmacists warn that taking more than the recommended dose can quickly become life-threatening.
“It’s really, really important that everyone be aware that over-the-counter medications are safe to be used under direction, and in safe amounts,” said Erin Meeks, lead pharmacist at Baptist Medical Group Wolf River Pharmacy.
Meeks said excessive doses can affect both the brain and the heart.
“It can also cause adverse events with their heart and their brain. It can cause seizures. It can cause anything from a coma, death and heart rhythm disturbances,” she said.
Dr. Rudy Kink, an emergency physician at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, said this isn’t something he has only read about online. He has recently treated children who overdosed on Benadryl.
“I’ve taken care of numerous kids taking Benadryl,” Dr. Kink said. “We’ve had some kids come in really sick that needed to be put in the pediatric ICU.”
Dr. Kink said Benadryl overdoses can cause hallucinations, dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities, and, in severe cases, death. “Benadryl is particular because it only takes a small amount for it to create some problems for kids that can ultimately be fatal,” he said.
Health experts said the case serves as an important reminder for parents to talk with their children about the dangers of social media challenges and to keep medications secured at home.
“It’s important that they understand that anything that has to do with medication are not harmless simply because they’re available without a prescription,” Meeks said. “Social media trends are temporary, but the consequences can be permanent.”
Doctors also recommend storing all medications, including over-the-counter ones, out of children’s reach and using them only as directed on the label.
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