If you were around the Internet in 2014, you probably remember the ice bucket challenge. You know the drill: people dumping water on themselves, posting it online, and tagging their friends to do the same, all for the cause of raising money for ALS research. What you probably didn’t expect was the ice bucket challenge making a comeback 11 years later, thanks to Gen Z’s passion for mental health — and once again, it’s working.
The ice bucket challenge resurfaced at the University of South Carolina, where students in the Mental Illness Needs Discussion (MIND) club began using it to raise money for Active Minds, a nonprofit organization focused on mobilizing youth and addressing mental health stigma. That was back in March. As of late April, the #SpeakYourMIND hashtag has over 200,000 posts and has garnered support from celebrities like James Charles and the hosts of the Today show, who did it live on-air. To date, the new ice bucket challenge has raised over $340,000 for Active Minds, far surpassing the initial $500 goal set by USC students, per NBC.
And while that’s a major accomplishment, the ice bucket challenge is also helping to raise awareness around mental health and chip away at the stigma that still surrounds it. Because of that, experts believe this kind of movement can make a real difference. “I actually just saw it yesterday on my own social media feed,” Heather Hagen, MS, LMFT, Executive Director of Clinical Outpatient Services at Newport Healthcare tells SheKnows. “I’m personally thrilled. Anything that we can do to call awareness to the mental health struggle is a good thing.”
Brett Curtis, the director of community fundraising and events at Active Minds, agrees, telling NBC that donations were “secondary” to the movement. “This was a chance for us to support a group of students, and that’s always been our mission,” he told the outlet, adding that he’s excited “to see it keep going for as long as it does.”
Hagen notes that social media movements like this can also remind people who are dealing with mental health struggles that they’re not alone — and maybe even inspire them to reach out for support. “Being doused with ice cold water takes a little bit of bravery, for sure,” she explains. “We’re hoping that people can sort of translate that bravery into, ‘I am going to do that hard thing. I’m going to make that phone call and see about getting some support for myself. I’m going to call that friend, and when they ask how I’m doing, I’m going to be honest this time about it.’”
It’s also a good reminder that as much as we talk about social media being harmful for teens’ mental health, it can also be used for good — by creating and connecting a community around a worthy cause.
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