There’s no doubt that if you have Instagram you’ve recently seen at least one person’s story of someone having ice water dumped on their head, and nominating someone else to do it within 24 hours. It seems like a flashback to 2014 when the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was popular.
The Speak Your Mind Challenge is meant to encourage people to donate to Active Minds, a non-profit mental health organization. Nominating someone to do the challenge after you is meant to show there is trust that you can talk to them freely about mental health.
This challenge started trending and made its way to Chico, where students have been seen outside and around the dorms participating. With the hot weather and a good cause having some fun with friends could be a great way to start the conversation about mental health.
Over a decade ago, the ALS Association started the ALS ice bucket challenge and encouraged people to donate to an ALS organization to fund research, treatment and care for those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This was a huge success, and inspired over 17 million people to participate in the challenge according to the website. Awareness and funds were generated by social media as one person shared it to their network, then the next, and so on. Celebrities also got involved, which no doubt helped fund the ALS Association.
Very similarly, the University of South Carolina started the Speak Your Mind Ice Bucket Challenge. Founded by Wade Jefferson, the USC MIND Club aims to end the stigma surrounding mental health by encouraging people to talk to those they trust about it.
But when does the conversation of mental health get lost in a challenge that seemingly has nothing to do with mental health? A challenge like this helps traffic people to the USC Mind Instagram where a donation link is available. And if you look at their tagged posts, it will reveal the sheer number of people participating. However, I have rarely seen anyone actually speak about mental health when participating.
Maybe that’s just not the current challenge, or maybe the message is drowning in ice water.
Will you participate? Let us know! We are interested in doing a story on people who participated and what it meant to them. If you do, simple instructions are posted on the USC MIND Instagram account with a link in the bio for donations.
The Speak Your Mind Challenge can be a great way to advocate for mental health awareness, suicide prevention, and encourage an open conversation. Donating helps with resources, training, and skills needed to advocate for mental health change, according to the donation link.
Maya DeHoyos can be reached at [email protected]
