This week, I'm sharing my experience of taking on the Ice Bucket Challenge. You might remember this trend from 2014, which remarkably raised millions for ALS, known here in the UK as motor neuron disease. Now, in 2025, students at the University of South Carolina have revived it as the #SpeakYourMIND Ice Bucket Challenge, with a vital new focus: to normalise conversations around mental health and raise crucial funds. Inspired by this, and since braving the icy water myself, I wanted to use this platform to further amplify their important message.

This initiative resonates deeply with me because mental health is something that touches every single one of us. To think otherwise is like suggesting someone doesn't have physical health – we all do, and our mental well-being, with its own complexities, deserves equal awareness and proactive attention. While acknowledging the significant challenges of mental illness, just like physical health exists on a spectrum, fostering a greater understanding and open dialogue around our mental health can, I hope, lead to improved overall happiness and resilience. It's about recognizing that good mental health equips us all to better navigate life's inevitable ups and downs.

Warning: I touch on the subject of death by suicide in this episode. Please reach out to a professional if this or any other element of the episode has triggered something that needs some external support. It’s way too important not to. A few links that could be of use:

www.samaritans.org

www.mind.org

zerosuicidealliance.com/suicide-awareness-training

Usual address for any thoughts, comments or observations [email protected]. Please let me know if you decide to take on the Ice Bucket Challenge 2025 yourself.