A dangerous viral trend known as the “Benadryl Challenge” has led to the tragic death of a 13-year-old boy in Ohio, US, named Jacob Stevens. The Benadryl Challenge involves taking a dangerously high dose of the over-the-counter antihistamine tablets to induce hallucinations, with participants uploading videos of themselves to TikTok in a bid to gain social media fame.
The deceased boy, Jacob, had been at home with friends when he decided to take part in the challenge, ingesting 12 to 14 Benadryl tablets, six times the recommended dosage. Jacob was at home with friends when he consumed a significant number of Benadryl tablets, causing his body to seize up.
Despite being rushed to the hospital, he passed away six days later. His devastated father, Justin, is warning other parents to monitor their children’s phone activity and talk to them about the dangers of unsupervised social media use.
The Benadryl Challenge has claimed other victims, including a 15-year-old girl who lost her life in August 2020 while attempting the same stunt. Manufacturer Johnson & Johnson has issued a public advisory warning about the challenge, while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also warned that taking high doses of the allergy medicine can lead to serious health problems or even death.
The Facts of the Matter
The rise of social media has brought about a multitude of trends and challenges that are often designed to capture attention and generate likes and views. While many of these trends are harmless and fun, some are downright dangerous and can have lethal consequences.
In recent years, we have seen several social media challenges that have resulted in serious injury or death, particularly among unsupervised teens and youngsters. From the “Tide Pod Challenge” to the latest, “Benadryl Challenge,” these viral stunts can have devastating consequences.
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What is “Benadryl Challenge”
“Benadryl Challenge,” a dangerous stunt that has become popular on TikTok. The challenge involves consuming 12 to 14 tablets of the antihistamine medication, which is six times the recommended dosage, to experience hallucinations. Jacob had been at home with friends when he decided to take part in the viral trend, but it ended in a horrific way.
13-year-old dead after trying deadly TikTok “Benadryl challenge”
The challenge is where participants take 12 to 14 of the antihistamines — six times the recommended dose — in order to induce hallucinations. pic.twitter.com/Jhvcfy45D7
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) April 17, 2023
Jacob was in Ventilator for 6 Days
According to reports, footage taken by Jacob’s friends showed him consuming the pills, after which his body started to seize up. The boy’s father, Justin, stated that it was too much for Jacob’s body to handle. He was immediately rushed to the hospital and placed on a ventilator. However, despite the best efforts of medical professionals, Jacob tragically passed away six days later.
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“Worst day of life”: Grieving Father Opens Up
Justin described the day he received the news about his son as the “worst day of his life.” The devastated father revealed that there was no brain activity on the scans, and Jacob would never wake up again. Justin is now urging parents to monitor their children’s social media activities carefully and to have open conversations with them about the dangers of engaging in potentially harmful viral challenges.
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Jacob Not First Victim to ‘Benadryl Challenge’
Unfortunately, Jacob is not the first victim of the “Benadryl Challenge.” In August 2020, a 15-year-old girl also fatally overdosed on the medication while attempting the same challenge.
As a result, the manufacturer of the drug, Johnson & Johnson, released a public advisory to warn people about the dangers of this viral trend. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also issued a public service announcement, alerting healthcare professionals about the challenge and its deadly consequences.
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