The rise of social media has brought a number of viral "challenges" that are posed by almost everyone, but not all are safe, and even challenges like the Benadryl Challenge at TikTok can be deadly.
Benadryl is a over-the-counter medicine used to treat allergies, but some TikTok videos released this year claim that people can see hallucinations if they take more pills than they should.
Three teenagers ended up at Cook's Children's Medical Center in Texas after watching videos and trying to take an overdose of the drug.
Rebecca, took 14 Benadryl pills in the middle of the night. Her mother explained that her daughter began to speak clearly and that she was experiencing hallucinations. Rebecca's heart rate picked up, so her anxious family sent her to the emergency room at the Children's Hospital.
The teenager was kept under surveillance overnight. Thankfully her heartbeat returned to normal and she was able to return home the next day.
Amber Jewison, one of the nurses at Cook Children's Medical Center, commented on the challenge, saying:
"What impressed me was that we had three teenagers who came for the same thing in one week. None of these patients were trying to harm themselves. "They all said they saw the video on TikTok and were curious to try it out."
Benadryl overdoses can cause high heart rate to arrhythmias, hallucinations and other seizures.
Rebecca's mother said:
"As parents, we worry about drugs, but I never thought I would have to check for allergy medications. I want other parents to know this too because it is dangerous and I had no idea. I'm angry. "These people are basically prescribing medicine without a medical degree, and our children are trusting them."
All three teens are said to have no long-term health effects and are recovering.
Source: Unilad
