Ice baths for addiction recorvery

In recent years the research into cold water therapy has only grown. 

From Wim Hof putting celebrities through their paces, daytime shows like This Morning discussing their benefits, and people on social media are now taking it up themselves. 

It is said this kind of therapy, can help with boosting your immune system, improving blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as reducing muscle pain and stiffness. 

On top of these physical benefits, it’s also argued cold water can improve our mental health too. 

With cold water plunges resulting in a surge of dopamine levels in the brain ice baths can be used for more than our physical recovery. 

Over the past 500 days, Harry Beattie has been testament to this. 

Harry has been documenting his journey through recovery from active drug addiction for over a year now. 

I went to meet him to discuss his journey and how he feels now he’s further into his journey. 

When I met him one of the first things he said was ‘I’m a drug addict, but I’m more than that.’. 

This only started our conversation about recovery. 

He told me how he learnt that ice baths can give off the same amount of dopamine as a single line of cocaine, after that he reached out to an ice bath company.

They agreed to send him one in return for content, and there started his journey of taking an ice bath every single day to help keep him clean and serene. 

At the start of our chat he said “I’m a drug addict but I’m more than that”, we then discussed what the journey from active addiction to recovery has looked like. 

Over the time Harry has been taking ice baths daily he has not only gained freedom from addiction but a family. 

Harry and his girlfriend Felicity have been sober together for over 500 days now, they welcomed their baby girl 7 months ago, along with his daughter, through sobriety Harry has been able to see his son again.

After six months sober Harry documented the day he was meeting his son again for the first time in five years on his socials. 

When I spoke with him he said his family is now the new motivation for his journey, he also explained how documenting his journey and speaking about how he feels each day has really helped him. 

“It takes the power out of it and some of the stuff I speak about, by speaking about it has given me some of my power back.” 

Using his socials as an outlet Harry has now been clean and serene for over 500 days and is now striving to hit 1000 days!