Nowadays, social media is easily accessible to children. With trends spreading in seconds and peer pressure from friends, more young people are getting caught up in dangerous viral challenges. Over the years, trends like the ‘Blackout Challenge’ and ‘Tide Pod Challenge’ have led to tragic outcomes. Now, officials are once again warning parents about a dangerous trend, the ‘Benadryl Challenge,’ which is gaining attention.
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Officials Explain Why The ‘Benadryl Challenge’ Is So Dangerous
According to WSB-TV, the Grantville Police Department is warning families about the viral ‘Benadryl Challenge.’ The challenge encourages participants to take excessive amounts of Benadryl in an attempt to experience hallucinations. Health officials warn that taking more than the recommended dosage can have serious and potentially deadly consequences. Possible side effects include nausea, seizures, heart complications, and, in some cases, death.
In an official Facebook post, the Grantville Police Department urged parents to speak with their children about the dangers of the trend. The department wrote, “Please speak to your children. What is the ‘Benadryl Challenge?’ The challenge urges viewers to take as many as 12 tablets at a time to supposedly induce hallucinations. For perspective, the maximum allowed dose in a 24-hour period is six tablets for children 6 to under 12 years of age and 12 tablets for adults and children over 12 years of age. Taking more than the recommended amount can lead to nausea, seizures or even death.”
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Father Raises Awareness After Daughter Reportedly Passed Following Viral Challenge
The warning comes amid an Oklahoma father speaking out after his 15-year-old daughter reportedly died following the ‘Benadryl Challenge.’ When the tragedy occurred, Richard Presson spoke with KOCO News 5 while spending days by his daughter’s side in the ICU. Presson said he learned about her participation in the challenge from one of her friends. He told the outlet, “I was told by one of my daughter’s friends that her and my daughter have both been doing this challenge.” He described the heartbreaking change in his daughter’s condition.
Presson said, “My daughter is now in ICU. She’s been here for five days. It’s heartbreaking to watch your loved one go through this. She was perfectly fine Sunday. Within 24 hours, she’s tried this, and she’s laying lifeless.” At the time, Presson said his daughter had lost all brain function and was being kept alive by a ventilator.
He also shared a message for other parents, urging them to stay informed about dangerous online trends. Presson said, “Anybody else that has children? I just highly advise them to watch out for new trending challenges. Look for signs of it. Look them up and see what they mean. If someone would have spoken sooner and made us aware, this could have saved countless lives. At least my daughter’s life. I want to make other people aware.”
Social Media Weighs In
Many gathered under The Shade Room Teens’ post to share their thoughts. Several voiced concern about the risks of the viral challenge.
Instagram user @denaeyahdiane_ wrote, “This been a challenge since as long as I could remember about 2020 and should have BEEN looked into and shut tf DOWN!!!!!”
Instagram user @taliyahmarieeeee added, “Ng this trend been around since I was in middle school and I just graduated high school. Good thing it’s getting awareness now.”
While Instagram user @lo.suckafree wrote, “1 Benadryl put me down … who doing this ?!!”
Instagram user @abodef_tizjah wrote, “Let’s try an ELA challenge. A spelling challenge. A reading challenge. Something worthwhile. Ho my goodness.”
Instagram user @mr_grindhard4 added, “Challenge each other to be better can we do that”
While Instagram user @thepairyj wrote, “yall saying the trend old is even scarier”
Instagram user @lorixasiaa wrote, “now i’m scared cause i take ts whenever i try to force myself to sleep & i take 2… now i’m hearing so much different stuff about it…. cause nah ya will have you KNOCKED & sleepy for hours.”
Instagram user @over_ts_deadass added, “I need yall too realize that these aren’t “trends” but ideas placed by people tryin to hurt kids bc I ain’t even heard of ts and im chronically online 😭 somebody is out there on your kids fyp trying to get your child to hurt themselves under the guise of a “fun challenge/trend” stop calling it trends bc when yall do that yall point it at certain generations as if we came up with it start monitoring your child’s feed.”
