05/29/2026
Notice from SD83
May 27, 2026
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We are reaching out to alert parents and guardians to a dangerous Tik Tok Trend that has resurfaced and has already impacted some young people within our District.
The "Benadryl Challenge" is an extremely dangerous and potentially lethal internet trend that encourages adolescents to ingest massive, toxic doses of the over-the-counter allergy medication diphenhydramine.
The goal of the trend is to trigger hallucinations or euphoric high. Healthcare professionals and law enforcement agencies have issued urgent public health warnings regarding this trend. It has resulted in numerous hospitalizations and multiple confirmed deaths among teenagers.
▶️Severe Health Risks
Participants in the challenge typically ingest 12 or more tablets at once, which vastly exceeds safe medical limits. Taking excessive amounts of diphenhydramine causes anticholinergic poisoning, which severely impacts the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
Medical complications include:
• Seizures and comas
• Dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities (arrhythmias) and sudden cardiac arrest
• Severe psychological distress, including extreme confusion, delirium, and panic
• Organ failure, such as acute kidney damage from muscle tissue breakdown
• Respiratory failure or an inability to breathe
▶️Emergency Response Steps:
If you suspect that a child, teenager, or anyone else has consumed an unsafe amount of Benadryl, take immediate action:
• Call emergency services without delay if the person has collapsed, is having a seizure, is struggling to breathe, or cannot wake up.
• Contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (in the U.S.) or use the Poison Help Online Tool for immediate guidance if the person is conscious and stable.
• Count the remaining medication to help emergency medical personnel quickly evaluate how many pills were ingested
▶️Safety Advice for Parents and Caregivers:
Because diphenhydramine is widely available over the counter, young people often falsely assume it is harmless. We recommend the following preventive measures:
• Lock up medications: Keep all over-the-counter allergy pills, cold remedies, and sleep aids stored securely and out of sight.
• Monitor household inventory: Check medicine cabinets frequently for missing tablets or empty packages in bedroom trash bins.
• Initiate open communication: Talk directly to teens about the extreme dangers of misusing over-thecounter drugs, emphasizing that social media trends frequently conceal life-threatening risks
Tik Tok is working at shutting down searches for this challenge on the social media platform – however it is important to talk to young people about the challenge as it is also being spread by word of mouth through peers.
Thank you for taking the time to talk to your children about this dangerous challenge – if you would like extra support on how to talk with kids about substances or around support for mental health/substance use, please see the links provided below.
▶️Local Supports Available in SD83:
• School Counsellor – call or email for an appointment
• Integrated Child and Youth Team – Wrap-Around Mental Health and Substance Use Support including Mental Health & Substance Use Counselling, Youth Substance Use Support Worker, Youth Peer Support Worker and Family Smart Parent Peer Support Worker call or text 250-517-9947 to ask about a referral.
Additional Resources: Supporting Our Kids With Substance Misuse While Caring For Ourselves https://www.interiorhealth.ca/stories/how-talk-teens-about-drugs-and-other-substances Virtual Mental Health and Substance Use Supports | HelpStartsHere Foundry Virtual BC | Access Free & Confidential Support I’m feeling overwhelmed — what can I do to feel better? - Kids Help Phone
Sincerely, Chelsea Prince Assistant Superintendent Indigenous Education and Student Support School District No. 83
Tanya Harrington Program Lead Integrated Child and Youth Teams Mental Health and Substance Use Support Services
