r/dph
r/DPH with its 74,000 and counting subscribers is the most active community on reddit focused on diphenhydramine and its use, both therapeutic and (unfortunately mostly) recreational. So, with constantly increasing activity here and a seemingly renewed interest in DPH due to social media it is time to remind our visitors about the rules of posting and guide those interested about this substance towards valuable resources. This post is structured according to headings for accessibility purposes and will be continuously updated with links and resources as I will be researching this more and verifying the information supplied by some members of this community - thank you for your help and positive participation in this subreddit.
INTRODUCTION
Before we discuss anything else, let's revisit what DPH actually is. Diphenhydramine, sold as Benadryl or a myriad of other brand names, is a first generation anti-histamine that is typically used in doses of 25-50 mg to alleviate allergies. Along with being an anti-histamine, DPH is also an anticholinergic substance, meaning that it inhibits the binding of acetylcholine to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter, much like serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, that is involved in many vital processes in our bodies, among them the ability to lower heart rate and regulate blood pressure as well as the ability to acquire new information and form and access memories. As you probably see, all of these are pretty vital functions so messing with them can lead to some unpleasant results. This inhibition is where the psychoactive effects of DPH come from.
How does DPH differ from other drugs? First of all, there is no such thing as a safe drug. What gives also takes, and ideally you would avoid all drugs (this includes alcohol, one of the more damaging drugs both individually and socially). However, with certain substances it is possible to follow certain harm reduction principles to limit harm as much as possible - in fact, some drugs that are used recreationally like benzodiazepines, opioids, amphetamines and dissociative anaesthetics are widely used in medicine for physical and mental health ailments and sometimes are vital to recovery.
Recreationally, many drugs have what is called a threshold dose at which psychoactive effects set in and a whole scale of dosages until we reach overdose (remember, overdose does not necessarily mean fatal but a certain dose at which the negative effects of a drug prevail over the desired effects and can cause physical harm or mental distress). DPH, due to the neurotransmitter it affects and the excessive doses that a person must ingest to experience intoxication, has no such threshold dose - every recreational dose of DPH is an overdose referred to as anticholinergic toxidrome (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anticholinergic) with varying degrees of severity but always the potential to cause severe long-term damage. Some of the effects commonly experienced by those who abuse DPH are: delusions, delirium, psychosis, seizures, excessively fast heartbeat, life-threatening arrhythmias, hypertension, difficulty breathing, loss of coordination, worsening of depression and anxiety, Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder. When discussing the dangers of DPH many people default to talking about dementia and how that prospect does not worry them as dementia usually sets in old age - considering that many people who abuse this drug are at a very impulsive, young age this is not surprising. This attitude is wrong due to several reasons with the main being that it dismisses the damage this substance causes to the other organs. Specifically, the strain it puts on the heart is very concerning - diphenhydramine prolongs the QT interval (the time taken by the heart to recharge between beats) and inhibits the body's ability to lower heart rate, which leads to dangerously high heart rate and potentially fatal arrhythmias. While one-time use of DPH, provided that it is not an excessively dangerous dose, is not likely to be fatal, continued use of this drug at recreational doses actively harms the heart. Recovery is possible but only with immediate cessation of use of any drugs and major lifestyle changes. Additionally, DPH is extremely addictive which is paradoxical considering the extreme dysphoria a user experiences when taking this drug - it is not yet determined how exactly the addiction mechanism works for this drug as it remains a niche drug of abuse.
This is why it is important to keep in mind the purpose of this subreddit, which we will discuss next.
THE SUB
First and foremost, r/DPH is focused on harm prevention - we do not encourage recreational use of DPH or other drugs and always try to steer people away from this substance and support those addicted to it on their path to sobriety. Quite a few rules and moderating policies are centred around this. This means that certain content is not welcome here.
This includes posts and comments:
recommending taking DPH
downplaying the health risks of DPH
recommending various drug combinations (DPH and stimulants, DPH and benzodiazepines, DPH and DXM etc.) or recommending the taking of any drug to counteract the effects of DPH or to stop a "bad trip"
ridiculing or insulting persons suffering from health complications due to DPH abuse or from addiction
claiming to take excessive doses, commonly considered to be excessive at 1 gram or more (moderators reserve the right to decide on a case-by-case basis). The only exception to this is posting about a past negative experience and how it affected you.
Posting content such as the one described above can - and most likely will - get you banned. Remember, be nice - on the other side of the screen is a human just like you going through their own issues. We want to reduce harm as much as possible here which is why a responsible attitude and understanding is key to making sure this community can be a resource for people looking for support or advice.
That said, the rules that you can check in the sidebar are pretty straightforward to ensure that posters are not burdened. Now, let's go over some frequent questions and posts that keep popping up here.
FAQs
The reddit search function is a powerful tool that will help you find information. Sometimes though, a poster does not know how to use reddit or cannot find the exact information they are looking for so they end up posting content that is seen commonly here. I compiled a list of commonly asked questions and answers to them in hopes of keeping this community clean, informative and easy to navigate.
How much should I take for my first/second/tenth time? / Will I be okay if I take XYZ mg?
The answer will always be 0 mg and you will not be okay if you take any recreational dose of this drug. However, we accept that drug use is and will be a thing and in hopes of reducing harm in any way possible a sticky was posted here a long time ago. This post contains information on the pharmacology of DPH, health effects and effects commonly experienced at certain doses. Information contained therein is not medical advice and should not be relied on as an authoritative source - none of us are medical professionals and considering the age of the post the information may be outdated. The ideal outcome is that you are persuaded to not take this substance.
I keep seeing things/distortions/having static vision even after stopping use
Many people report persisting effects after cessation that gradually go away over time. Your best bet is to follow a healthy diet, get enough sleep and engage in very moderate (no weightlifting) physical activity. It is possible that the symptoms do not go away - this is called HPPD and it is currently unclear why it happens or how to cure it. Many people report HPPD gradually subsiding however how long it takes depends on each person, whether it's a month, a year, or 10 years. Many say that they get used to HPPD and stop noticing it until it goes fully away. Don't lose hope and check with a doctor. Remember, medical practitioners will not judge you and are there to help.
I am experiencing body pains after my last time using
We cannot help you except maybe sharing some experiences. Book a doctor appointment ASAP and do not give any time to doubts or anxieties - DPH is an extremely harmful drug of abuse and any hint at long-term damage must be addressed immediately. Your doctor may direct you to do several tests, but in order to get a good overall picture ask your doctor to refer you to an electrocardiogram (ECG), an echocardiogram if ECG is concerning, a blood test for troponin (a protein secreted in case of heart muscle damage) and kidney and liver tests. Depending on the results you can plan the next steps and recovery if necessary.
Going to take 1/2/5/... grams tonight
You will be banned. Check the sidebar for rules.
Why do people take this drug?
Please use the search function, but the answers you will find will be quite uniform: self-harm, lack of access to other drugs, accessibility, being underage.
Is it okay if I take DPH while on antidepressants/ADHD medication/anxiety medication etc.
It isn't. The most commonly prescribed antidepressants are SSRIs and SNRIs - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors; DPH is an SSRI which in combination with antidepressants of this class can cause a dangerous condition called serotonin syndrome which requires immediate medical intervention. Taking excessive doses of DPH (and SSRIs/SNRIs as well) is also liable to cause dangerous concentrations of serotonin. You can read more about it here - https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17687-serotonin-syndrome.
ADHD medications typically contain amphetamine or methylphenidate, which cause elevated heart rate and blood pressure. Due to DPH causing the same, this combination is extremely dangerous and can cause hypertensive crisis or life-threatening cardiac events.
Anxiety medications typically contain a benzodiazepine such as alprazolam (Xanax) or diazepam (Valium) which can cause respiratory depression in combination with DPH. While benzodiazepines are typically given in emergency departments to manage certain symptoms of DPH, this is done by trained personnel and under careful supervision to respond to respiratory depression if it occurs.
Even the famed combination of DPH and DXM is very dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.
HEALTH
If you are dead set on taking this drug you probably want to say that you don't care about how it affects you nor do you care about dying. From the many posts and comments exhibiting this attitude, it seems to be prevalent due to a misconception as to exactly how DPH kills.
If you take an excessive dose - or if you are sensitive to this drug like many others and take what is considered a low dose - and it results in a fatality, you would be lucky if it involves a seizure and an accidental head injury.
A person who passed away just this year started at what would be considered by many lower doses and quickly spiralled into addiction. After suffering through multiple acute overdoses and hospitalizations, resulting in non-functional kidneys, liver, constant arrhythmias, chronic long QT syndrome, hallucinations and delusions (even when sober) and cognitive decline, the poster ended up taking a dose that his body could not take considering the extensive organ damage. The last post by this person was made in a rare moment of clarity where he explained in detail being hooked up to multiple machines keeping each of his organs alive, with a catheter in his urinary tract due to his bladder no longer working, with a heart rate of over 150 while laying down and heavily sedated, slipping in and out of coma and alternating between being lucid and hallucinating as well as having constant seizures. Even though this person was heavily depressed and used this substances and other drugs as an escape and a self-harm method, in those last days he expressed that he wished that he never took this drug.
This drug is poison and harms every vital organ. Virtually anyone will tell you that there is absolutely nothing positive about the psychoactive effects of this drug. Unfortunately, due to the weirdly addictive properties many who want to try it once end up using it daily.
This post will be updated from time to time with links to resources to get help and health information. Also, check the guide linked above for useful hotlines.
Stay safe and remember - life has a lot to offer but it will not if you don't give it a chance.
I CANT JERK OFF IM SO UPSET i am so sad. But everytime intake dph ibusually goon 5 times minimum usually like 10 no mater how high i am i am always determined to lockbin on the masturbation grind but yesterday i took 600mg and COULD NOT GOON!!! And right now i was bored and decided to try and I CANT DO IT IM SO SOSO SAD am i foreverw just never gonna be able to masturbate i am so so heartbroken has dph actually given me erectile dysfunction i am so sad does ed still apply to females
I took 500mg thinking it wouldn’t do anything with my friends on a call I drank water and waited it started to hit 45mins later after that I js remember talking to my friend irl when me and him never even met i woke up today after he called me 20 times asking what I was saying to him on call only thing he remembers is me talking in gibberish.
Last night I took 150mg and it was pretty nice I went right to fucking sleep and when I woke up I felt very tall and still a little dizzy I’m thinking about taking 300mg or 400mg tonight for my first real dose? Is this enough I’m 160Ibs and this would be my first and last time taking this drug, I have weed, nic, alc, I don’t need this so I’m not worried about being addicted to it.
I receive a prescription for injectable dph and who knew this stuff hits like H lol!
Lowkey getting worried its been 35 hours since I tried 500mg for the first time and I couldnt get hard during it however 35 hours later and it still cant get hard. It can get semi hard with some effort but not fully so Im taking that as a good sign. Please someone tell me this is most likely temporary and will go away eventually.
I've taken up to 750mg and never have been able to really "trip". I get the faint voice or spider every now and then, but I don't ever see or have conversations with people that aren't there. I never get phantom cigarettes or anything like that. I'm curious how much you all actually had to take before you really had a full trip and if I should try 800mg.
I wanna get high before or during church (30 mins from now) the only shit I have looks perfectly fine but it’s made for the use of dogs only. I think it’s bullshit but I don’t wanna die or something.
I have tried and tried over the years to see such a specter, but alas, he has yet to show himself to me. I have taken a tincture equivalent to 750mg and still he is shy and hiding. I need an old, wise warlock to advise me in summoning him.
Hey guys, last night I took 500mg. This morning, I woke up and my body still felt super heavy. It was really hard to get out of bed. When I went into my bathroom, I noticed that my arms and legs were super red and my torso was pale with a slight purple tint to it. Under my eyes was all puffy and red and the inside of my eyelids at the base of my eyelashes is a deep blood red, but they don’t burn or itch. It’s nearly impossible for me to focus my eyes right now and I’m really mentally slow today. Should I go get it checked out or do I just need to let it resolve itself? I’ve been drinking a ton of water, but the symptoms aren’t going away and I can’t get rid of the dryness in my mouth. I’m pretty concerned about this.
I was thinking about some of the times I took 700+ doses, when I started for too long my entire vision goes black and I stay completely blind with my eyes wide open. unless I blink and then it goes away instantly, and comes back when I don't blink for more than 10 seconds
I dident take all of them so I think it’s okay because i’m not overloaded
I haven't been using it all the time but I think I've probably done 3 grams this month
I know that one of the side effects of dph is lost of apitate I never really paid attention to it because before when I started I eat a lot and was a big boy but now I don't even eat anymore or barley can I used to be 160 something 3 months ago now I'm 122 I still try eating but I only eat the amount of my little brother who is 10 I barely finish the plate too sometimes I just get so hungry that I don't feel it anymore and my stomach just starts hurting a bit and I don't think of eating anything anymore but I just want some help on eating cause I eat too little or just don't eat at all
Before y'all panic I'm like 230 pounds it's barely enough to make me see spiders, luv y'all<3
Skipping class in the bathroom and I keep fucking sneezing. DPH will make me immune to allergies. In Benadryl we trust 🙏🙏
Those who know more about the mechanism of DPH (or anticholinergic and antimuscarinic drugs in general) Please share your knowledge.
I believe under a controlled condition, if one does not have any expectation or knowledge of the affects of deliriants. That person would not experience the typical DPH bad trip.
Just a thought. I think people who saw the hatman saw him because of what they have read online. Those who saw bugs saw bugs because they read online that they would see bugs and spiders. You get the idea, you saw it because you were told that this is what would happen if you od on DPH.
If they have never read anything of those kind and did not know what you are supposed to see while on DPH, you would only experience hallucinations (Good and bad, not just bad) and confusion. Unless something or some event tips your trip to a bad one.
The process: - The pre-deposition of expectation
You do research and you get an expectation that this is what you would see if you od on DPH.
While you are under the affects of DPH you are extremely vulnerable with your thoughts. And since you expect the appearance of “Hatman” and bug and spiders and all that, you delude yourself in thinking this is what you will see. And once the hallucinations kicks in, you see what you expected.
You go online and share you experience with DPH, and since you have experienced it before, you reinforce yourself that this is what you will see, planting the expectation deeper in your brain. And this continues the cycle.
I came to this conclusion as the first time I did DPH, I did not read too deep into the trip reports, I only went through the safe dosage, and I did it. I did not experience the many hallucinations that so many here have experienced. All I really saw was imaginary humans and friends and honestly other than being extremely fatigued physically, the interaction was neutral and I would say it’s overall a positive and “a good trip”. It is after once I saw the trip reports online that I started seeing bugs and people shouting at me.
Even to this day I have yet to see hatman. Mostly because I’ve never seen any drawings of him. (I’ve also never played slenderman, which i think a lot of the idea for hatman came from, I may have saw videos of him but it was long ago and have been forgotten)
I have departed from DPH for a long time now, it took me a lot of time to recover the damage this pink pill has caused me, and I am not going back, and I suggest you do the same, there are better avenues of temporary escape. Shrooms and weed work better, and it doesn’t kill your brain and body.
Has anyone tried this combo? I have access to Ativan, would that help ease the paranoia/anxiety so I can actually relax and enjoy this😂
