Teen Diphenhydramine Abuse Jumps 32% to 13,284 Cases as Social Media Trends Fuel Misuse
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 19
Teen Diphenhydramine Abuse Jumps 32% to 13,284 Cases as Social Media Trends Fuel Misuse
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 19
Summary
13,284 teen diphenhydramine-only cases were reported in 2025, up from 10,068 in 2024, far outpacing the 5.1% rise in overall teen substance exposures, America’s Poison Centers said.
6,179 cases were logged in the first five months of 2026, with poison centers saying the pattern points to intentional recreational misuse tied to dangerous social media challenges rather than accidental overmedication.
13% of 2026 diphenhydramine cases involved intentional abuse, up from 7.3% in 2020, and the antihistamine can trigger hallucinations, seizures, dangerous heart rhythms and loss of consciousness in high doses.
Kenvue, which makes Benadryl, said it is working with social media platforms to remove harmful posts, while poison centers and industry groups urged families to lock up medicines, follow labels and talk with teens about misuse risks.