A man from the United Kingdom claims he cured his depression by taking daily dips in ice baths or cold showers.
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Mitchell Bock,30, said he started the method to stop depending on anti-depressants slowly, and he recently stopped taking his anti-anxiety medication. He told the Daily Mail, ‘I see it as swapping out a whole day of discomfort for a few minutes. You come out feeling amazing. It really is an instant thing.’ Before starting the holistic method, he experienced severe anxiety and depression for ten years and was hospitalized after a suicide attempt. He started researching alternative methods with his mother to see if there were different ways to improve his mental health.
Weeks after his hospitalization, his mother purchased him an ice bathtub, and Bock used it immediately. Although it was hard for him initially, he started getting used to the frigid routine. ‘When I first did it, I remember waking up without the usual feeling of dread. It was like going to bed with the flu and waking up completely cured,’ he explained.
As part of his daily routine, Bock tries to take at least an ice bath or a cold shower every day, and he’ll swim in freezing water sometimes. His coldest bath was at zero degrees, and he was outside in the snow. He says the daily dips have helped him rely less on medication, and even stopped attending therapy sessions.
‘I’ve been on meds and going to therapy for years. Whenever I’ve rung the doctors, it’s been a short conversation, and they’ve told me to up my meds.I have started weaning myself off one of my medications and stopped taking one altogether. I’m that confident in how I’m feeling. I don’t find it uncomfortable anymore. At first your body panics. You feel tingling and your heart races, but once you control your breathing its fine.’
Cold water dips, also known as cold water immersion or cold water therapy, involve submerging the body in cold water for a short period of time. Here are some potential benefits of cold water dips:
- Reduces inflammation: Cold water immersion has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body by decreasing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
- Relieves muscle soreness: Cold water dips can help alleviate muscle soreness after exercise by reducing inflammation and increasing blood flow.
- Boosts circulation: Cold water dips can stimulate blood flow and circulation in the body, which can help improve overall health and wellbeing.
- Enhances immune function: Cold water immersion can boost the activity of immune cells, which may help improve immune function and prevent illness.
- Improves mental health: Cold water dips have been shown to help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and may also improve mood and overall mental well-being.
It’s important to note that cold water dips can be uncomfortable or even dangerous for some people, such as those with certain medical conditions or who are pregnant. It’s always best to consult with a healthcare provider before trying cold water dips or any other new form of therapy.