As someone who has experienced firsthand many difficulties with mental illnesses, watching countless Instagram stories about an ice bucket challenge targeted to raise mental health awareness isn’t exactly what patients dealing with mental issues need; it’s insensitive.
“The ‘Ice Bucket Challenge,’ a viral fundraising campaign that raised millions for ALS research in 2014, has been reimagined by students at the University of South Carolina to tackle a new issue: mental health awareness,” said Viola Flowers, news associate for NBC News.
On the surface, this “challenge” seems great. Put yourself in the shoes of someone, such as me, who has been through the very experiences this challenge is meant to raise awareness for. When you have been through the ringer with mental health concerns, you start to question if this is spreading awareness or if it’s just another cute, silly trend for teenagers and celebrities to post for content.
There’s nothing wrong with Instagram trends; they can be successful in raising awareness and bringing people together. I will give people the benefit of the doubt knowing some people participating in the ice bucket trend may have been through these challenges and are true advocates for raising awareness for the mental health community. A true advocate is someone who has done their research and understands the emotional strain and pressure these people undergo.
Look at the height of the George Floyd protests during 2020-2022, where Instagram users posted a black screen to their feeds and changed their bios to read “Black Lives Matter.” These were the people who weren’t joining the protests. With the resurgence of the ice bucket challenge, it’s clear that these trends are just Instagram patterns.
I look at fellow people’s stories in this world and think, “Is this really helpful or a useless trend that doesn’t raise awareness?” This trend, like others, does not have a positive effect, and according to anonymous sources, these people still go out into the world spreading more misinformation.
Taking the time to educate yourself beyond what’s trending and what people in your life think. Read up on the mission of the USC MIND club and the organization they’re raising money for, Active Minds, which works year-round to support mental health among young people. Share their resources in your bio or story, not just your soaked t-shirt that you chuck in the laundry. Donate if you can, or support your local mental health organizations by volunteering your time. Instagram trends aren’t everything.
