There are some social media traits that may reside on perpetually in our recollections (like Fb poking), however only some of them caused actual change. For many people, seeing our Fb feeds flooded with Ice Bucket Problem movies again in 2014 was extra than simply one other enjoyable social media factor — it did deliver lots of training and understanding. On the time, the Ice Bucket Problem was created to raise awareness about ALS, and in line with The ALS Affiliation, it actually, really did — the group shares that 220 million {dollars} was raised due to the altruistic development.
And now the Ice Bucket Problem is again. For teenagers.
This time, nonetheless, the Ice Bucket Problem appears to be a name for psychological well being consciousness. On March 31, the College of South Carolina’s Psychological Sickness Wants Dialogue Membership posted a video on Instagram sharing the Ice Bucket Problem, nominating individuals to affix in and let others know that they will “converse their thoughts” in terms of psychological well being. Like a rallying cry for talking out whenever you need assistance, and in addition letting others know you’re a protected area for them to share.
It’s unfold fairly rapidly, with even the anchors of the Today Show getting in on the problem. And whereas some skeptics have puzzled the way it raises consciousness, it really works precisely prefer it did for elevating consciousness about ALS. Persons are speaking about it, individuals are sharing their very own movies and referencing their struggles with psychological well being, and in a world the place teenagers can really feel lonely and misplaced, it’s fairly beautiful that this has resonated with that age group a lot. In keeping with the CDC, from 2021 to 2022, 17% of adolescents ages 12 to 17 reported feeling depressed, with 40% of highschool college students in 2023 reporting “persistent emotions of disappointment or hopelessness previously yr” and 20% of highschool college students in 2023 sharing that they’ve critically thought-about trying suicide previously yr. That could be a staggering quantity of teenagers in misery, and if the Ice Bucket Problem helps them get assist, why not? Donations have additionally been flooding in, with the USC MIND Club surpassing $100,000 in donations. (A membership, by the best way, created after one faculty scholar misplaced two pals to suicide.)
There have additionally been some critiques that utilizing the Ice Bucket Problem on this means takes away from the ALS consciousness marketing campaign that began over a decade in the past. NBC reported that after they reached out to The ALS Affiliation, the group responded, “We’re thrilled to see the spirit of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge live on in new forms of activism.”
Taking the problem and utilizing it to boost consciousness of a distinct want doesn’t take away from all of the unbelievable work it has accomplished (and continues to do) for ALS. Whereas folks could be talking up about psychological well being as they carry out the problem, it should all the time be linked to ALS, so it feels prefer it’s pulling double responsibility and elevating consciousness proper now for 2 extremely worthy causes.
And truthfully, something that may get our teenagers speaking to one another — and listening to one another — about psychological well being struggles is a particular win.
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