Connecticut Universities take part in ‘Speak Your Mind Ice Bucket Challenge'
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) —The ice bucket challenge is making a comeback, and it has some local universities challenging each other to take the plunge. This time, it is all about mental health, especially among young people.
'Mental health, I think, has certainly become something more folks are talking about, they're open about,' said Dr. Nick Pinkerton, associate dean of counseling services and wellness at Southern Connecticut State University.
Southern's mascot, Otus the Owl, recently did the Speak Your Mind Ice Bucket Challenge.
Nyberg: Ice Bucket Challenge is back to raise awareness for mental health
The challenge started at USC as a way to change how mental health is viewed and to prioritize it, especially on college campuses, where Pinkerton says the top issues are anxiety, depression and loneliness.
'But loneliness is interesting because a lot of the college students, they don't necessarily come in saying, 'I feel lonely,'' Pinkerton explained. They say, 'I feel depressed' or 'I feel anxious,' but right underneath that is a deep well of loneliness, social avoidance.'
On social media, the folks getting drenched still get to challenge others. Southern's video challenged the University of New Haven, UConn, and Quinnipiac University, which led Dr. Jens Frederiksen, the president of the University of New Haven, to do make his own challenge video, and then later to talk about the issues he sees.
'There's feelings of isolation, anxiety, all sorts of stress, and the world is a complicated place,' Frederiksen said.
1 in 5 adults live with mental illness, here are the resources to help Connecticut residents
On a big college campus, it can easy to feel alone, but the point of this challenge is that students are not. If they are experiencing any kind of mental health issue, there is a whole team ready to help.
'You've got to meet students where they are and you can't conflate, you can't push it upon them, and yet you've got to make it comfortable for them to want to reach out,' Frederiksen said.
He is now challenging his university vice presidents, the Allingtown Fire Department, and West Haven's Mayor.
For more information on the challenge and how you can help, go to: https://support.activeminds.org/fundraiser/6221101
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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