Cold Showers

Funny that I was just now reflecting on the cold shower challenge in another post, which I never can get into myself, actually. But, I think the ultimate lesson from it is to teach one that one can choose the more difficult option in life over the easier option, a quality that often reigns as a trait of the successful person, and it's definitely a quality needed in recovery - choosing the more difficult path of recovery over the seemingly easier option of giving into our whims. Yet, I think that while the cold shower challenge is a good way to learn this lesson, there are several other opportunities in life to consciously choose the harder, undesirable option, rather than the easier, as well - and these don't always need to be life-and-death choices, but we become more ready for the bigger choices having practiced many smaller choices. Like this morning, even though I had the opportunity to be lazy and sleep in, I chose to get up early anyway and do something that was very productive for me. That was the tougher of the two choices, but I came out better for it. So, in fact, even though I didn't take a cold shower today, I did in fact take one after all.

 

Hey there

I remember at one point last year I would take cold baths(I didn't have access to a shower) for over a month. It was such an intense experience but I came out feeling so much better about myself; so much more powerful for having done something many wouldn't even think twice about doing.

I tried the challenge after hearing Mark Queppet talk about it and something he said really made me get the importance of it. Sure it is about choosing the harder unpleasant path as JoeinMD said, but more importantly I feel that it's about getting comfortable with discomfort(which is what Mark was saying). Because when you think about it, what usually results in us giving into our urges even when we really don't want to? It's the physical, mental and emotional discomfort that comes with fighting those cravings. Every part of you is saying: "I want to watch porn and masturbate. NOW!" And you have to constantly deal with that and say no.

Just my thoughts on the matter. Hope you get around to doing it again : )
Stay strong

 

Hey there,

I take them daily, as a 4-5 minutes finisher after a warm shower. It has the same "I can take the world" effect for me afterwards.

In the past, I tried cold showers as in doing them right away after stepping in, but that never worked for me, as I would just catch a cold after some days.

For me, taking a cold shower right away feels like striping down and jumping in a cold lake I just found on a hiking trip, where as the other feels like getting in a cold bathtub to reenergize after a relaxing sauna.

 

Do it, but focus on the benefits (see attached vid)… Replacing bad habits with good is my personal mantra

 

I've tried taking cold showers in the past, but I've then realized that they're just not for me. The undoubtedly have many benefits but taking a hot shower is like meditation time to me: it's where I can actually relax, think, and reflect. And those are things I just can't do under cold water. Just my two cents from the other side of the fence

 

Hey there, seems like threads on the same topic get created at the same time alot on this forum, everything you need to know and more is in a thread towards the bottom of this section

http://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/cold-showers-why.48372/

 

I think a stickied cold showers thread is in order moderators @NoBrainer

 

During my first successful 30 day challenge, cold showers were a Godsend. Every time I had an overwhelming urge, I jumped in a cold shower. Sometimes this happened 3,4, or even 5 times a day! It worked wonders. Nowadays, after a good workout I will take a cool, refreshing shower. I am a believer!

 

You are actually supposed to feel uncomfortable. That is kind of the point. You learn to control your thoughts and emotions under discomfort. Anyone can relax in hot water

 

Yh my friend got that too, caughs and sickness, and stopped doing it becuase he got scared. Here is my advice I never got problems with it.

Dont take a shower in the morning. Its only the english and the americans that do that :| messed up cultures...You dont need it. End of story. Now here is how you do it:
1Start shower
2Go to confortable wash yourself if you need
3Go to as cold as possible or as much as you can and wash your whole body for like 30sec or less till you feel that the blood is at full speed and 'so on'...
4Now swtich not to boiling water but hot water. The point is to slow your system down. Of course not warm either, and not boiling but hot. Cover your whole body except balls and head till you feel like your system, blood, mind has slowed down.
5Toggle between cold and hot as much as you wish. The more the bettter
Start with cold end with cold all the time. Good luck

 

Dude, cold shower is great for me. I live in Brazil and it is hot as hell here. I used to take warm showers and 2 min after i'd be sweating like if i had just played ball. It doesnt happen anymore. Another benefit is that my hair and skin look better. And when i do this in the early morning i feel more motivated to go to college and do shit.

 

If it is hot like the guy in brazil go for it. If you want to use it to stop urges go for it. But I would recommend not super cold. I take super cold showers and they kinda suck my old shower ( I moved) was perfect It was cold but not ice cold like the one I have now. I want to get used to it and progress to colder and might even do ice baths. Have you heard of the ice man

 

One thing I was doing over the summer to remind myself of my discipline was eating raw eggs for breakfast. Its difficult because the texture is awful. Lifting weights also serves that purpose in my life. But taking cold showers takes nerves of steel

 

Personally, I'd rather take cold showers than eat raw eggs… Honestly, every morning I've got to psyche myself up to get into that cold shower, but after the first five seconds, everything is fine.

 

It's GOT be a morning thing for me, part of my morning routine. Up, excersise, shower, meditate, breakfast, journal. NOTHING wakes you up and energises you for the day like an ice cold shower. ZiNGy!

I used to do the Hot/Cold thing, but prefer just full on cold as poss. But each to their own!

I do it after the gym, too. Apologies if your the next guy in the shower, and it's turned all the way down, just trying to share the benefits

 

I did 5 minute record shower the other day... and now i'm sick. Also not sure it's related maybe i went over the line there but oh well, that's the only way your body can get used to it.

 

No apologies needed, thats what this community is for

 

Yea man. After 5 secs it feels alright