Uncanny Valley | WIRED Can Tech Get Rid of Bad Trips?
30 snips
Nov 20, 2025 
Join Boone Ashworth, a WIRED staff writer delving into tech culture, and Manisha Krishnan, a senior culture editor focused on drug and health policy. They explore bizarre trends like the Benadryl TikTok challenge and the phenomenon of shared hallucinations. Discussion spans the rise of AI in creating safer drug experiences, and the intriguing revival of out-of-body programs from the Monroe Institute. The duo debates the necessity of challenging psychedelic trips for therapeutic benefits and the role of chatbots in guiding users through their experiences.
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Benadryl Challenge And The Hat Man
- Teenagers revived the Benadryl TikTok challenge, taking dozens of pills to induce deliriant hallucinations.
- Users describe shared terrifying visions like the “hat man,” itching, and feeling physically sick.
Bad Trips As Cheap Escape And Nihilism
- Some young people chase bad trips as a form of nihilism, cheap escape, or self-harm during isolation.
- Manisha links economic disenfranchisement and loneliness to risky, low-cost substance trends.
Use Realistic Info And Systemic Harm Reduction
- Provide realistic drug information instead of scare tactics to reduce harm among young people.
- Focus on systemic solutions like connection and access to healthy opportunities to mitigate trends.
