Scandal - School Fears Epidemic Of Benadryl Overdoses

[saorsa.elegy]

This was on cnn.com
Basically there are hella kids taking lots of Benedryl, passing out at school etc.
I have kids and I know that this scares me a lot more than some other stuff.
kptv.com




School Fears Epidemic Of Benadryl Overdoses


POSTED: 3:33 pm PST February 28, 2008
UPDATED: 4:25 pm PST February 28, 2008


SWEET HOME, Ore. -- A series of Benadryl overdoses among students at Sweet Home High School led school officials to warn students and parents this week.
School administrators said at least five students, ranging in age from freshmen to seniors, have experimented with overdosing on the drug to get high.
Police estimate the students were taking five times the recommended dosage in order to get high. The overdose leads to extremely high heart rates that can cause death.
Anastasia Park, 15, said she decided to try Benadryl after hearing about it from a friend.
"I took 30 the first time and 20 the second time,” Park said. "I got sent to the (emergency room) both times."
Park wasn't alone. Earlier this month, an incoherent student was stumbling around in a school hallway and another student was found slumped on the floor. They were both taken to the emergency room.
School officials held a special assembly to warn students about trying to get high on Benadryl. They’re also sending a letter home to parents to alert them, too.
"To me, it’s very dangerous and I don’t want it to blossom into a huge epidemic," said Pat Stineff, the school’s principal. "That’s the scary thing."
Park said she’ll never try it again.
"It’s such a big heart risk," she said. "My family has heart problems and there’s a huge risk of a heart attack."

[FuBai]

Benadryl isn't even a drug, it's a brand. Are we talking about diphenhydramine or dextromethorphan here? Or perhaps some other drug? Because the Bendryl logo appears on a lot of different products.

[Orchid_Suspiria]

I made a post about seeing a segment on his local news about this recently.Swim has seen this said about dxm many times but didn't think any diphenhydramine recreational use would catch the medias eye.Most people don't enjoy the high diphenhydramine gives but it must be getting popular,it would make sense it would mostly be kids that can't get anything else.As far as I know the name benadryl is only used for diphenhydramine.

[saorsa.elegy]

Benadryl is Diphenhydramine hydrocloride. as i said this was on cnn.com
I just thought it was interesting. I never considered benadryl fun.

[Metomni]

Taken at reasonable doses (20-30 PILLS is NOT reasonable, especially not for such obviously inexperienced drug users) it is an excellent drug for both the medicinal purposes it is sold for and recreational purposes that so many penguins strive for.

SWIM believes it comes down to the lack of education. Children see benadryl as a medicine and if they hear they can get high off of it, then they instantly jump to the conclusion of, "I have to take a LOT and I'll get REALLY fucked up." The sad thing is, they're doing this with no thoughts of their health because they're not educated on the adverse effects of an overdose.

[EntheogenicTruth]

Originally Posted by saorsa.elegy

Benadryl is Diphenhydramine hydrocloride. as i said this was on cnn.com
I just thought it was interesting. I never considered benadryl fun.

not necessarily in australia benadryls components are DXM and sorbitol. dont do it. sorbitol is not fun. DXM is. but sorbitol isnt...

[Orchid_Suspiria]

Benadryl has its charms and the experience does have a few positives.Greater appreciation of music,interesting change in colors.However it also creates a very dark and gloomy atmosphere.

[Orchid_Suspiria]

It seems as time goes on younger and younger people start getting high.This is actually not good because many of them don't know how to do it safely or know how to properly use substances.Alot of them will try to get high off anything and get themselves in serious trouble antidepressants,antiinflamatories inhalants all those kind of things.

[saorsa.elegy]

"I have to take a LOT and I'll get REALLY fucked up."

I think that for most kids aged 13-???, that is their mo.
Schools spend so much time teaching kids to abstain from EVERYTHING that the kids have no good information on what is safe and what isn't.
We are doing a disservice to them by not talking openly about drugs.

[cra$h]

the problem boils down to the unavailibility of drugs like marijuana, or other mild drugs, so kids hear benadryl can fuck you up, and decide to take it ignorantly. if there were other drugs that are less lethal availible, kids would resort to things like benadryl, dxm, inhalants, etc.

[Orchid_Suspiria]

In the United States all benadryl is indeed diphenhydramine.Why it is different in some other countries swim has no idea but in the United States diphenhydramine use and dxm use are two entirely seperate things.

[saorsa.elegy]

I did not know that Benadryl would be different in different parts of the world. Very cool!
When seeing that it is getting the attention of journalists, how big of a problem do you folks think it is?

[Orchid_Suspiria]

Originally Posted by saorsa.elegy

I did not know that Benadryl would be different in different parts of the world. Very cool!
When seeing that it is getting the attention of journalists, how big of a problem do you folks think it is?

Swim admits to indulging in benadryl on occassion,it is a strange experience.Very dark and for the sort of people that like horror movies and the darker side of life and not for everyone.Swim can't imagine it being that big of a problem simply because not many people tend to enjoy the experience.Then again never underestimate kids that have access to nothing else.

[EntheogenicTruth]

Originally Posted by Orchid_Suspiria

Then again never underestimate kids that have access to nothing else.

True, perhaps the government should legalise more healthy and productive ways of getting high??

or perhaps they should require certain preventative measures be put in place. such as mandatory psychiatric assessment for all people planning to use legalised lsd and have it only available through these people.

problem is that the people who have underlying mental illness will become the "kids" and we end up with another reclassification of a group of people. the problem is that people dont know what drugs are fine for them until they do it. i spose that means that no-one is able to tell whether you can or cant take acid or any other drug because your mentally unstable. perhaps people should just try learning from other peoples and their own experience. sorry for the ramble...

[EntheogenicTruth]

i dont think that the media creates the reality it is painting. The media does this alot. "COUGH SYRUP LEADS TO CHILDREN GETTING HIGH!!" and BAM! what happens? every kid with a short attention span reads the title and not the story and they all start drinking cough syrup to find out which one get em high. and therefore the reality of the media is created.

[saorsa.elegy]

Word!

Reputation Comments on this post:

Try making your posts count for something instead of nothing.

[Ididnotinhale]

A few people really enjoy benadryl. Swim has a friend who took about 14, he just felt really tired for about an hour, but then he started to hallucinate pretty hard. It can causes really bad urinary retention so be careful. Like usual I think that the DEA and similar agencies have made it so hard to get drugs that kids are using much more dangerous drugs (like inhalants). There are always going to be inebrients who are going to find someway to get high.

[saorsa.elegy]

I like the "ramble"! I am too wondering what it is going to take to get better or more realistic education to people regarding drugs

[EntheogenicTruth]

i have some ideas. a media that isnt so biased and short sighted. a government that isnt filled with idiots using money as their earplugs? i disagree that new drugs should be discovered through the media as they give such negative connotations to such things. perhaps they are old people who dont like drugs? it seems that the older people get the less they can keep up with the new things in the world. and the less they seem to provide positive reinforcement for new, better things. they would rather stick with their old policies and deny anything new rights to be. tl;dr the media are old people who dont want new drugs on "their" streets

[Lunar Loops]

SWILL is slightly uncomfortable with this discussion and any involving children and drugs (of any description). Surely the ideal is that children (and let's say under 18 as a boundary; you may say this is arbitrary, but hear me out) don't take drugs of any kind in a recreational manner? Certain regions of the brain (including the prefrontal cortex area responsible for moral judgements if SWILL's not mistaken) do not 'mature' until late teens/early twenties. Taking anything that may affect a maturing mind in a potentially adverse way is surely to be discouraged?

Do we say legalise and educate and all will be well? SWILL has raging discussions in his own cranial chambers regarding this issue. Legalise and regulate so only available to under 18's? That doesn't stop underage usage (look at alcohol). SWILL is rambling slightly off topic here and maybe this would be better served as a new thread.....he shall retire to ponder and take off the devil's advocate garments that he so loves to parade around in.

[zera]

Anyone else reminded of this classic Onion article:

Mormon Teen Loses Inhibitions After Third Benadryl

WEST JORDAN, UT–The pious calm of this peaceful Mormon enclave on the Great Salt Lake was shattered Monday, when, in what local church authorities are calling an "extremely disturbing" incident, 16-year-old Enoch Zachariah Young had his inhibitions severely lowered by the ingestion of three Benadryl®-brand allergy-relief tablets.

The allergy medication that caused a sinful reaction in Mormon youth Enoch Zachariah Young (inset).

"You hear about things like this happening in non-LDS communities, but I never thought it could happen to one of God's true elect, to one of our own," Ruth Mary Young, the boy's mother, told reporters from the Mormon News Network cable channel. "The poor boy's allergies act up so bad during these hot desert summers here in the Chosen Land, and I guess he let temptation get the better of him."

"May Jesus Christ, and his prophet on Earth, Joseph Smith, have mercy on his immortal soul," added Young before collapsing in tears.

At approximately 8 a.m., while refilling the pamphlet rack at a local grocery store before school, Young said he began to experience a runny nose, itchy throat, and severe headache. Fearing the symptoms would cause him to miss that afternoon's tryouts for the school play, The Reign And Ministry Of Nephi, he purchased a box of Benadryl® and took the recommended two tablets.

Several hours later, shortly before English class at West Jordan High School, Young succumbed to temptation and took yet another Benadryl®. For the next four hours, the youth exhibited signs of severely lowered inhibitions, sparking "rampant chaos and terror" among his fellow Saints at the all-Mormon public school.

"A few of the children began to notice that something was seriously wrong with Enoch around noon," said math teacher Elder Ezra Fielding Widstoe. "Apparently, he told a female classmate that he liked her dress. Then he asked if anyone had any gum."

An hour later, on the way to the pencil sharpener, Young performed what students described as "a little dance." It is assumed that Young's intent was to amuse his classmates, who were quietly working at their desks at the time.

Young's outrageous behavior escalated over the next several hours. Witnesses reported that, while crossing the street from school to the temple to attend afternoon religious classes, Young removed his sweater vest. As his final manic act before classmates alerted officials, Young held up a prayer book featuring a picture of Joseph Smith, founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and referred to him "Good Ol' Joe."

"Impropriety such as this among the covenant people of the Lord!" exclaimed classmate John W. Pritchett, who witnessed the wild behavior firsthand. "This is hardly the sort of conduct that is appropriate for an heir to the ancient covenant between God and Abraham."

According to Mormon officials, The Word Of Wisdom, the prophetic Latter-Day Saints health code given by revelation in 1833, prohibits the use of tobacco, strong drink, tea, and coffee. While the use of Benadryl® is not specifically discussed in the gospel, church elders believe that the drug is prohibited due to its dangerous mood-altering side effects, including nervousness, excitability, and drowsiness.

Upon learning of their son's antics, Young's parents rushed to school to participate in an intervention attended by the school principal, his guidance counselor, and a group of five church leaders.

As Young lay on a cot, his sisters and brethren prayed in a circle around him. He then further shocked the assemblage by stating, "I've always found the The Book Of Helaman kind of boring," before falling into a deep sleep.

Young is currently recovering at the home of his family's patriarch, 91-year-old great-grandfather Joachim Jeremias Young. Further information about his condition is not available, as Joachim Jeremias declined to speak to "the secular press."

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28421

[saorsa.elegy]

That's actually funny.
Lunar, I was not saying anything good about kids using. I think that as a community it is More responsible to give kids the facts. Kids are not likely to go to parents or whatever to get good information about staying safe. Staying safe is what we all want for kids. However, there are many kids out there using. Right information is better than not giving answers because it is uncomfortable

Reputation Comments on this post:

GREAT POST!!

[EntheogenicTruth]

Originally Posted by saorsa.elegy

That's actually funny.
Lunar, I was not saying anything good about kids using. I think that as a community it is More responsible to give kids the facts. Kids are not likely to go to parents or whatever to get good information about staying safe. Staying safe is what we all want for kids. However, there are many kids out there using. Right information is better than not giving answers because it is uncomfortable

HEYO!! why can you read my mind... i agree with you %9000 becuause i have a communication/social difficulty i cant explain myself so good, but you just did it better than i could!!

[Lunar Loops]

Originally Posted by saorsa.elegy

That's actually funny.
Lunar, I was not saying anything good about kids using. I think that as a community it is More responsible to give kids the facts. Kids are not likely to go to parents or whatever to get good information about staying safe. Staying safe is what we all want for kids. However, there are many kids out there using. Right information is better than not giving answers because it is uncomfortable

Crossed lines here Saorse....I KNOW you (and everyone else in the thread) were not advocating kids using. Perhaps SWILL worded that rather poorly. It was more of a thinking out loud in a questioning manner. Questions that appear in SWILL's head. It is sometimes useful to have arguments with opposing viewpoints in your own head before exposing them to the outside world (hence the devil's advocate statement; not necessarily SWILL's own views). It's good to second guess what the opposition will come back at you with......or maybe SWILL is just losing the plot and should go and lie down in a darkened, cushioned room for some time.

[saorsa.elegy]

I have been having a very emo week. not sure what's up so i apologize if i sounded defensive. i am a lunatic! i am going to hide.
devils advocate is what we all are here for, right?