The Ice Bucket Challenge Back In 2014 Was Originally Meant To Spread Awareness For ALS. Participants

The ice bucket challenge back in 2014 was originally meant to spread awareness for ALS. Participants were encouraged to either donate $100 towards the ALS association for research or dump a bucket of ice water on themselves, which was supposed to be a metaphor or physical representation of how the disease felt to its sufferers.

Now it's back for the nebulous cause of "mental health awareness," and while it can be a good cause, raises questions about whether it's ultimately putting any good out into the world other than sparking a trend on social media. What about mental health should we be aware about? Is it okay to use a physical representation of how a physical, terminal disease feels, and apply it to something as vague as "mental health?"

The original cause raised over $250,000, and substantially advanced research for ALS. An ultimate good. But what good comes of the new trend if not to overshadow the original challenge and purpose of the trend? Is it appropriative to reuse something that was ultimately created very personally by sufferers of a terminal disease? What organizations are participants encouraged to donate to? I haven't seen any specifics, just "mental health awareness." Are any donations even being made? It doesn't seem like many, as I've read from the many articles being posted about it.

Mental health awareness is good, yes. But once again people with physical disabilities and terminal illness, who nearly always have mental health issues as well, are having causes meant for them turned into something vague that can apply to everyone. Because it's more comfortable for the able bodied person to think about than something like ALS.