Why do experts advise against drinking alcohol while you’re taking Benadryl?
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What Is Benadryl?
Benadryl is the brand name of an over-the-counter (OTC) medication that contains diphenhydramine, which is a first-generation antihistamine.
Diphenhydramine was initially approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a prescription medication in the mid-1940s. In the 1980s, the FDA expanded its approval to authorize an OTC version.
Benadryl is typically used to alleviate symptoms of allergies, hay fever, and the common cold, such as:
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Scratchy throat
- Itchiness
It is also sometimes used to prevent vertigo and motion sickness, and to help people who have been experiencing insomnia.
How Many People Use Benadryl?
It is difficult to find exact data on the prevalence of Benadryl and diphenhydramine use in the United States. However, a January 2025 article in the World Allergy Organization Journal reported that:
- In a typical year, U.S. pharmacies fill about 1.5 million prescriptions for diphenhydramine.
- Experts estimate that there is “far greater acquisition of diphenhydramine in over-the-counter products” than by prescription.
- A Harris poll found that 62% of adults and 51% of children commonly use Benadryl and similar OTC meds to treat seasonal allergy symptoms such as runny nose.
Does Benadryl Cause Side Effects?
Virtually every prescription and over-the-counter medication can cause adverse effects, and Benadryl is no exception to this rule.
Benadryl’s more common side effects include:
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Impaired coordination
- Dry mouth
- Nausea
- Constipation
Less common, but potentially much more serious, side effects include:
- Cognitive delays and memory loss
- Eye pain and/or disrupted vision
- Difficult or painful urination
- Severe allergic reaction that can involve swelling of the lips, tongue and throat
- Seizure
What Happens if You Mix Benadryl and Alcohol?
Most reputable sources – including Benadryl’s own website – caution that you should avoid alcohol while taking the medication.
Clearly, it’s not a good idea to mix Benadryl and alcohol. But what, specifically, is do dangerous about this combination?
Intensified effects
The primary risk of having both alcohol and Benadryl in your system is related to the ways that both substances affect your central nervous system (CNS).
Though alcohol can initially have a simulating impact on a person, the drug is actually a CNS depressant. This means that it slows the delivery of messages between the brain and other body parts. Slowed CNS functioning leads to effects such as:
- Drowsiness
- Impaired coordination
- Poor judgment
- Cognitive delays
- Difficulty focusing and concentrating
If these effects sound familiar, that’s because you read most of them in the previous section.
Drinking while taking Benadryl can magnify the drugs’ impact on your ability to remain fully alert, aware, and in control of your muscle movements. Depending on where you are when you use these substances, possible outcomes can include injuries due to:
- Slips and falls
- Improper use of appliances or machinery
- Automobile accidents
Impact on essential functions
Even if you’re safe at home, in a comfortable chair with minimal risk of falling, drinking alcohol while taking Benadryl can still expose you to considerable harm. For example:
- Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that accelerates the removal of water from your body via increased urination. Benadryl can also increase urination, while also reducing secretions and drying mucous membranes in your body. The combined impact of the two drugs can lead to dehydration, which can put you at risk of myriad health problems, some of which can be life-threatening.
- Drugs that depress your CNS, such as alcohol and Benadryl, don’t only affect voluntary muscle movements like walking or maintaining your balance. They can also slow automatic functions such as your heart rate and breathing. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alcohol poisoning is responsible for about 2,200 deaths every year, or about six deaths every day. Consuming Benadryl while also drinking heavily can increase the danger of a catastrophic outcome.
What Happens if You Can’t Stop Drinking While Taking Benadryl?
Over-the-counter Benadryl is designed for short-term use only. Depending on what symptoms you’re using it to treat, you should only use the med for seven to 14 days.
If you are unable or unwilling to remain abstinent from alcohol for a maximum of two weeks, even with the knowledge that drinking during that period can threaten your health, that is a sign that you have developed an addiction.
Other common signs of alcohol use disorder (which is the clinical term for alcohol addiction) include:
- Frequently drinking more or for a longer period of time than you intended
- Having strong urges to drink
- Developing tolerance, or needing to consume larger amounts of alcohol to experience the drug’s effects
- Having physical and/or psychological withdrawal symptoms when you try to curtail your alcohol use
- Reducing or ending your participation in activities that used to be important to you as a result of your alcohol use
- Failing to pay bills, keep appointments, or fulfill other responsibilities at home, in school, or at work due to your alcohol use
- Having a persistent desire to quit drinking, but being unable to stop for good
If any of these symptoms sound familiar to you, a good first step would be to consult with your family doctor or schedule an assessment with a reputable addiction treatment provider near you. An assessment can help you understand the scope of the challenge you’re facing, and the professional who conducts your evaluation can help you explore appropriate treatment options.
Untreated alcoholism can be devastating. But when you get the help you need, you can regain control of your behaviors and begin to live a much healthier and more hopeful life in recovery.
Find Alcohol Addiction Treatment in Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Recovery Center is a safe and welcoming place where adults can receive customized outpatient care for addictions to alcohol and other drugs. We also serve clients whose struggles with compulsive substance use are accompanied by anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other co-occurring mental health concerns.
Treatment options at our rehab in Tampa Bay, FL, include outpatient detox, a partial hospitalization program (PHP), and an intensive outpatient program (IOP). We also offer sober living residences for clients who can benefit from additional support while they’re taking part in treatment.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.
