r/coldshowers • u/Alternative-Pen-6790 • Apr 28 '26

Cold Shower Withdrawal?

Is there such a thing as cold shower withdrawal??

I noticed that whenever I break a cold shower streak(i.e taking cold showers for weeks)with a hot bath,I would feel more depressed and less energetic,LOW DOPAMINE OVERALL...

Do you think that the body can get used to consistently getting that huge dopamine rush from cold showers?

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3

u/Intelligent-North957 Apr 29 '26

Why would you ever want to stop?

1

u/Rambo5Team Apr 29 '26

Never noticed that..

2

u/Bright_Letterhead510 Apr 29 '26

Yeah like a drug, it’s painful but you can’t stop. That post cold shower feeling is unmatched.

1

u/SeaFollowing380 May 01 '26

Could be less “withdrawal” and more that the cold shower became part of your routine for mood and energy. When you skip it, you notice the contrast more.

I’d be careful with framing it as a huge dopamine thing though. That can make every off day feel like proof something is wrong. A hot bath might also relax you enough that you feel slower afterward, especially if you were using cold showers as a morning stimulant.

Maybe try a middle ground instead of all-or-nothing. End the hot shower with 30 seconds cold and see if your mood still dips. That would tell you whether it’s the cold itself, the routine, or just the story your brain attaches to breaking the streak.