Is Benadryl Addictive for Sleep?

Generally, addiction to Benadryl is possible. People primarily develop a psychological dependence on the drug, stemming from the idea and fear that they won’t be able to get to sleep without it, or remain asleep for the entire night. The fear becomes anxiety, and the sensation of relaxation initially felt when Benadryl is used allays that anxiety –perpetuating the cycle of misuse.

Over time, a person who takes Benadryl may find that the original dose may not be enough to help them fall asleep as quickly as before, or that they are waking during the night. This indicates that the body has become more tolerant of the drug and a dependency has formed. The person then takes more of the drug to achieve the desired effect of falling asleep, or duration and state of rest.

Misuse of Benadryl should not be taken lightly. As with any drug, there are complications and side effects that are caused by misuse. With Benadryl misuse, the side effects can include any of the following:

• Anxiety
• Sedation
• Increased heart rate
• Low blood pressure
• Reduced ability to concentrate
• Blurred vision
• Dry mouth (leads to GERD or dental issues)
• Nausea
• Memory loss
• Impaired coordination
• Constipation
• Difficulty urinating
• Liver dysfunction
• Seizure

Additionally, in the study “Cumulative Use of Strong Anticholinergic Medications and Incident Dementia,” it is reported that there is evidence to support a connection between the long-term use of drugs like Benadryl and the increase of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. According to the study’s author Dr. Shelly Gray, “We know that these medications may have an effect on memory, and we always assumed that these effects were reversible. We didn’t think these medications were changing the brain permanently. Our study does suggest a link between the highest use and increased dementia risk.”

Discontinuing the use of Benadryl will not have the same type of reactions or side effects as those which are felt with harder drugs. Typically, people have reported feelings of nausea, diarrhea, hot or cold sweats, and insomnia. People who are trying to stop using Benadryl for sleep are advised to taper off to make these effects less uncomfortable.