All across social media, videos of people pouring a bucket of ice water over their heads are being posted. You may remember a similar trend going extremely viral over a decade ago, however it is for a different cause this time. In 2014, the “Ice Bucket Challenge” was popular all across the world. It was done to raise awareness around ALS. Now, the same challenge has risen again but this time for awareness around mental health in teenagers/young adults.
In March of this year, the University of South Carolina began the trend. The official title is the #SpeakYourMIND Ice Bucket Challenge, however it is most commonly known as the “USC Mind Challenge.” The official website for this, Active Minds, describes the challenge as “a launching point for us all to proudly commit our support to changing how mental health is viewed and prioritized in society and supporting the young people leading this crucial movement.”
In order to highlight the fundraiser and gather more attention, people record and post videos of themselves pouring a bucket of ice water over themselves. They then “nominate” 2-5 people to complete the challenge as well. Those people create their own videos, and the cycle continues. It’s quickly become prominent on social media, specifically on Instagram stories.
The goal is to raise $50,000 to go towards resources and tools for those struggling. Already, the fundraiser has $31,834 raised. Below is the link to the page on the Active Minds website if you’d like to check it out yourself. support.activeminds.org/fundraiser/6221101
