Massachusetts police are sounding the alarm after the so-called "Benadryl Challenge" started making the rounds online again, pushing teens to swallow large amounts of the over-the-counter allergy drug to try to hallucinate. Officers say the stunt is anything but harmless, warning it can trigger seizures, dangerous heart rhythms and even death. Their message to families is blunt: lock up medications and talk with kids about what they are seeing on their feeds.
What Massachusetts police warned
State and local officers are urging caregivers to secure any products that contain diphenhydramine and to keep an eye out for posts that promote the challenge. As reported by Boston 25 News, police highlighted immediate overdose red flags, including confusion, trouble breathing and seizures, and recommended calling 911 or poison control right away if they appear. Officers are asking parents to treat viral dares as real safety threats, not just online pranks that will blow over on their own.
What the challenge asks people to do
The challenge encourages participants to take doses of diphenhydramine far beyond what the label directions allow in an attempt to "trip" or hallucinate. A recent release from the American Academy of Pediatrics says the stunt has resurfaced on social platforms and is tied to upticks in diphenhydramine-related poison-center calls and emergency department visits.
Why it is dangerous
In high doses, diphenhydramine can cause a full-blown anticholinergic toxidrome, with rapid heart rate, severe confusion and hallucinations, seizures and, in the worst cases, coma or death. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a drug-safety communication warning about the Benadryl Challenge and its links to hospitalizations and at least one reported death. For signs to watch for, treatment guidance and the Poison Help hotline number, see FDA and Poison Control, which advise calling 911 or 1-800-222-1222 if someone is unresponsive or having seizures.
What parents and schools can do
Schools and clinicians around the country have been circulating similar alerts in recent months, while researchers track recurring waves of the trend. Reporting by HealthDay noted that adverse-event reports tied to diphenhydramine continued to rise through 2024. Public-health experts say practical steps include locking up medications, supervising device use for younger kids and having calm, fact-based conversations about online dares and their real-world consequences. Parents who find missing medication or suspect a child has taken part are urged to contact local authorities and poison control immediately.
Massachusetts parents who are worried about specific posts or notice missing medications can reach out to their local police department and seek urgent medical help if a child shows any signs of overdose. For general dosing and emergency resources, officials point families to the FDA and Poison Control guidance linked above.
