The Ben Mulroney Show - When nothing worked for an addict one man turned to ice baths -- Icebathharry is a revelation

Episode Date: November 20, 2025

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Welcome back to the Ben Mulrooney. show, I've said it before. Social media is neither good nor bad. It is only good if good people use it and is bad if bad people use it. It's either a tool to build a house or it's a weapon to take somebody down. And I have not been on social media very much personally. I've been on it professionally, but not personally. And so I really haven't been paying, I wasn't paying very close attention to my Instagram.

And when I'm on it, you know, I'm just like, I'm just doom scrolling while I'm passing the time. And then one day I came across a man who in about two seconds I knew was so brave because he was being so honest. And he was talking about his road to recovery from drug addiction. He was talking about what his life was like during those times and what he was hoping it would be like in the future. And he was doing it all from inside an ice bath. And I thought, okay, well, this is interesting. And what followed was me going down the rabbit hole of being introduced to a hairy beady, ice bath, ice bath Harry, who gets in an ice bath every morning and chronicles his thoughts on how he's doing on that day.

And if I swear to God, you do not have to be going through drug addiction to find something you can learn from this man every single day. and I begged my producers to help me get him on the show and I've got them for me but also for you, the listeners of the Ben Mulroney show. Please welcome to the show Harry Beattie, recovering addict, ice bath enthusiast and motivational speaker.

Harry, a real pleasure to meet you. Thank you. Hello, Ben. You're going to get me emotional, man. What an introduction. I tell you, like, there's some people you can sniff the inauthenticity. Social media is full of those people. Okay, so I think we should

start from the beginning. What was your life like before the ice bath? Yeah, pretty messy, I'll be honest. So yeah, I'm Harry and I'm 33 years old and I'm from a town in the south of England called Portsmouth and yeah, I'm a recovering drug addict. My life was pretty messy for many, many years and I was trying to get clean from substance misuse for about 11 years and yeah for those that knew me before I became ice bath Harry um you would have had a different view on me all together I wasn't a very very nice person I was very unwell and yeah it was all about how to get drugs and who to manipulate into giving me money to get more and I spent my life like that for years and yeah I took my first ice bath um as one of another way to

to try to get clean. And something clicked, something shifted. On the 21st of July last year, I took my first ice bath and I haven't stopped. And here I am nearly 500 days later. Well, congratulations on all that. But 11 years you tried to get clean. And I'm sure you had varying degrees of,

I won't say success, you had varying degrees of failure. What was it that finally after 11 years clicked that you were able? It can't all be the ice bath. So what else was different? Because there was a story about your son, if I'm not mistaken, where you were in a court, you were in court, right? I was, yeah.

So I, throughout my using, I lost a lot. Yeah, I, you know, many years ago I had it all. I had a business. I had a woman in my life. I was engaged to. Had a baby on the way. I had a house. I had two motorbikes in the garage, two cars, all of that materialistic stuff.

A nice watch. From the outside, my life looked all right. But inside I was slowly dying and I was just, yeah, I was just existing and was really struggling with poor mental health. And I've done a lot of work on myself in the last 16 months. It'll be 16 months tomorrow actually that I'll be clean. And thank you. And yeah, I spent a long time trying to do life on my own terms. And yeah, I lost everything.

I lost the woman I loved. My fiance, I lost the house, the bikes, the cars. I lost access to my son when he was a year old. My driving license got revoked. To one point, Ben, I didn't even have a bank account. I was literally a ghost. And yeah, I was just existing, living like an animal. And every day, I just woke up and didn't want a beer.

And I found comfort in substances, whether it be drugs, you know, alcohol, gambling, women, whatever. And years I spent doing that. And I don't know why. Harry, I saw this. I saw somebody on social media. I mentioned this on the show yesterday, too, because I think it warrants mentioning. You know, there was a study that was done on addiction with rats years ago. And they had two types of water, regular water and cocaine-laced water.

And in very... I remember seeing this. Yeah. And they would suck on the water, the cocaine water, until they all overdosed. And then one gentleman comes up and says, yeah, but the problem is there's nothing to do in the cage. And so he repeated the experiment. But this time he created what was called, I think, Rat Park or Rat Cater. city with games and all sorts of stuff and, and most importantly, friends. And what happened was

the number of overdoses went from 100% down to zero. And more, I think 99% of the time they chose the regular water. And this gentleman who was telling the story said, maybe the opposite of addiction is not sobriety. Maybe the opposite of addiction is connection. Connection. Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. And so listen, I want to get to all the good stuff. at the end, because it's the journey, right? And I want to talk about the journey. So one day you get in the ice bath and you'd never been an ice bath before. I haven't, no.

So I had tried. I remember going to a gym, like a wellness gym. It's quite a sort of more upper market gym with a friend of mine in central London many years ago. Before I'd even, I think my gambling was at an all time high at that point. So what I did for many years is I cross a dix, yeah? I'd go, oh, wow, you know, I haven't taken cocaine for six months. You know, hang on. I've got to get back to the casino because I'm playing poker.

You know, I'd cross-addict, right? And then I'd not gamble for six weeks and be like, wow, life's going really well, drinking a bottle of JD. And I couldn't see what I was doing. I was using substances to change the way I felt because I had low self-worth and low self-esteem and I had a lot of trauma that I didn't even realize I had trauma that I've now worked on. So, yeah, I love the rat analogy. And for me, I've got ADHD.

right. So I suffer with low dopamine anyway. I am always kind of looking for that high risk, high reward. Yeah. It says wet paint don't touch. I've got to go quickly, touch it, and then I've got to do it twice because I'm that guy. I'm rebellious. And it's got me in trouble. My best thinking has got me in some pickles. And yeah, I tried an ice bath years and years ago when I was gambling heavily. And I got in, my mates said, get in there. And I opened up the lid to this, this like bucket of water. It was in the ground in this really fancy gym. And I got in, I went, oh, I said, it's not on. He said, what do you mean it's not on? I said, well, the heat is not so on. He said, no, it's supposed to be cold. And I was like, no chance am I getting in there,

no way. And yeah, fast forward all these years. I kind of forgot about that. But fast all these years, I was looking for something to replicate the dopamine and replenish the dopamine that I was lacking due to prolonged drug abuse and also the fact that I've got low dopamine because I got ADHD. And that was why I looked and I found ice pass. I've heard it on a podcast somewhere. I think Joe Rogan mentioned it once. Joe Rogan has mentioned ice baths more than once, my friend. But you know, a lot of people, Harry, jump in an ice bath and they say, oh, this is good for me and they do it every day. But you then, at some point, decided to start chronicling what was going on in your life. And based on... It was day one. It was day one.

It was day one. But also, I don't think you had a plan either, did you? No. So I, at the time, was right in the depths of addiction. I was living, like I said, in absolute squalor. And there was like days and weeks. I would go without eating, you know, three or four days. I wouldn't eat. I wouldn't drink any water. I was just like existing, literally existing. And I didn't have any money. I was crippled with debt. Still I'm trying to pay my way out of it now. You know, these are all sort of consequences of my actions in the past. But yeah, I had no money. And I reached out to a few ice bath brands. And I said to, I said a lengthy email, I think I worded it quite well. Well, it must have because someone got back

to me. One of the companies did reply and said, look, we'll send you a time. for free on a basis that you film some videos and put them online. So I could do that. I'm quite comfortable in front of the camera. And yeah, I literally put the tripod that my phone is in right now, in my garden, I've upgraded since. I've got a bigger tripod now. But this is kind of like my travel. This is my Ben Moroni podcast tripod. So yeah, I put the tripod in the garden.

I came out and you go back and look at day one. You'll see how I'm well I was. I was gone. I was two stone lighter. And my eyes were all stained with yellow. And I said, hi, I'm Harry. I was all bunked up and I said hi I'm Harry

and this is the only one of trying to get clean and taking an ice bath We're going to leave it there because we got to take a break and when we come back We're going to The ice bath journey continues

Don't go anywhere We got ice bath Harry joining us on the Ben Mulroney show Don't go anywhere I'm 60 days clean 60 days clean You're listening to the Ben Mulrooney show That was the voice of ice bath, Harry, celebrating 60 days of sobriety where he's celebrated the first day in his ice bath.

And ever since then, a day in and day out, he has been sharing the struggles and the celebrations, the highs and the lows of what it's taking for him to get from where he was to where he needs to be. And Harry is sticking with us for this segment. Harry, thanks so much. You're welcome. Thank you. So just quick, going back to what we finished on before we. before we went off there. I filmed day one and I didn't know what to expect. I had no idea where this journey would take me. I had no idea that I didn't know where I am today and I've, you know,

I kind of see a bright future now but for years I didn't. I just, I didn't know what my life was, what my purpose was. And that's something that I've found since I started my journey. Yeah, I filmed day one and I just kept going and we built a community and I guess I just showed up every day. I discipline myself to get in ice cold water every day. None of the stuff my film is scripted yeah there's four over 500 videos out there now because there's a few behind the scenes none of it's scripted i literally just come out i get in cold water and i talk about how i feel i talk honestly and openly and there's two people that that they watch my videos well that's kind of the two people that are they're aimed at they're aimed at people that struggling and want to get

clean and they are also educational videos to educate those that don't know what the disease of addiction is what it is so they can best understand their loved ones that's suffering that's that's and i found my purpose now, but no, and I, I can tell, but it's that, it's that raw emotion, right? And it's that honesty, even when it's uncomfortable and even when it's not, you know, it might not, maybe, maybe I'll just put on a happy face today. By the way, that was day 60. I want to show people, I want, I want people to hear another one, day 91. Let's play day 91. Because I enjoy the taste. I drink beer to get smashed and have a f*** with someone. Non-alcoholic beers, don't do anything for me. That's my opinion anyway. Okay, so yeah, yeah, some, some insights as well,

and um but so there's some good there's some happy uh moments and some people are going to follow you because they they just want to cheer you on and other people are going to glean uh life lessons for themselves uh as well and i really i don't know if if the algorithm gave me day three 164 i don't know if that's the first one i saw but it's the one that was the most impactful to me let's play uh day three sixty four three ninety four you consider in for you get a Graham of Coke tonight and just sitting in a fucking car park, waiting for everyone to go to sleep and then coming home later. I've got no motivation whatsoever to do this anymore. I really can't be bothered. My videos are fucking crap. I must have just for a fucking. Lose a bit of weight. I'm 33 and I'm four

stone overweight. I've been in bed all day eating crisps and chocolate, feeling sorry for myself with the flu. I've done four with my kids today and my brother, who I barely see, has just phoned me to tell me my dad's gone into hospital something wrong with his heart. I'm also in recovery. from drugs and alcohol. 394 days clean today and all I've been thinking about since that phone call is using. Selfish.

First of all, what made you not use? I think I've got a little bit of traction early on, right? So we hit on one of the platforms 10,000 followers in 16 days and at that point I realized you know, the whole world was watching right now

and I felt this pressure and I still sometimes feel the pressure that the whole world is watching. And, you know, at that point, when I filmed day one, I hadn't seen my son, who's seven years old. I hadn't seen him for five years. Well, that's, Harry, that's, yeah. I knew that his mom was watching and I thought, I can't get away with it. I can't, even if I wanted to use, what am I going to do, turn up tomorrow and go, morning, I'm still clean and pretend, like, it's going to be all over me. And I don't want to do that, but unfortunately, I have a disease, which tells me I don't have, I don't, I don't,

tells me I don't have a disease that tells me to hit the big red button and tells me to throw all my toys out of pram and I just I keep it simple and I try to take it one day at a time now and don't ask I don't know why I don't know why I stay clean but you did I just showed up one day and I did I did you did and but that one was so um pivotal for me in appreciating your videos is because look everyone has has has had a day where they can't get out of bed and everyone has wanted to give up and uh and and you you know when you said and i felt so awful i felt so bad for you like my videos aren't we're not getting the traction that we wanted i felt so bad i'm so glad to see that that that the success is there um but so and now you're

almost 500 days in you're almost five i am nearly yeah four eight seven today so literally lessen two weeks to day 500 yeah you know my um my uh my dad told me uh my dad and my mom and i don't think they were the first people to say it, but parenthood is showing up, right? That's most of it, just being there. They just want you around. And you said off the top of our conversation that you weren't there for your kids,

but you've been showing up for this. Like every single day you've been showing up for this. Is this teaching you how to be a better parent? It's teaching me to be a better everything, Ben. So, yeah, I couldn't show up for myself. And that's what's different this time, right? I spent 11 years in and out of recovery, one foot in, one foot out, trying to understand what was wrong with me, not ready to accept, not ready to admit,

not ready to take responsibility, not ready to respect boundaries, not ready to surrender. And I was doing it for all the wrong reasons. I spent years trying to get clean to keep my Mrs. Happy, my son's mum, yeah? I spent years trying to keep my dad off my back. I was trying to do it for all the wrong reasons. What's changed this time is I've done it for me. Because if I don't put myself first, all of my family comes second to my disease, right? I have to put myself first, and it is selfish, but if I relapse, I'm as good as dead, man.

I have to stay clean because without, you know, I got my son back when I got to six months clean. I've just had a baby, six months old today, my baby girl is. Congratulations. If I do act on those thoughts, yeah, like day three, nine four, and I say, I just want to sit in the car pocket and use, it's just a thought, it's just a feeling. It will pass. Drugs and alcohol kill people. Feelings don't, right? Drugs and alcohol will. And I don't want to use again, but my brain, unfortunately, tries to trick me into thinking that I do. So, Harry, let's spend the last couple of minutes that we have talking about the future. Let's talk about the potential that you've opened up for yourself. I was so happy for you, so happy on the day where they delivered your ice bath, Harry, ice bath. That was a big day.

Me too. Yeah, it was branded with your own stuff. And you got swag, you got merch that you're selling now. You're a motivational speaker. Let's get it. yeah so and you know you talked about all all of your relationships that had died on the vine how is your relationship with your son's mom how is like how with your brother with all the how are they going because i'm sure they're not perfect but no one's relationships are perfect no so i'm i'm trying to work a program yeah i'm in a fellowship i'll go to as many millions as i feel like i need to and i've i've been heavily involved with fellowships for years and ice baths cold war exposure is where it's at for me that's where i'm

get what I need. And if I need to go and sit in a room full of addicts, I will. And in the fellowships, we work a 12-step program. And one of the steps on the 12-step program is to make amends. And I'm still not there yet, but I will be making amends. But the relationships are completely different to what they were. You know, let's have it right. When I was in active addiction, my son's mom said to me,

why don't you just sign him over because you're never going to get clean? Just sign him over to us, please. That same woman now, text me, drops him off, We've now got a great co-parenting relationship. I've got my son back. He knows who his dad is. And I've got all my friends and family. But you know what I've also done is I've cut out the bad influences.

This is one of the most important things. If you sit in a barbershop long enough, Ben, what do you think you might get? A haircut. If you sit in a pub long enough, what do you think you might want? You're going to get a beer. A beer, yeah. So I try to associate with positive influences and positive friends that want to level me up. And my best friends now are people that I've met since I've got clean.

Not people that I used to associate with my, not my using buddies, my drinking buddies. Yeah. So you just said level up. That's how we're going to end this. What's the next level for you? And let's be honest, you're building a business here as well.

It's a brand. It is. And you've got the motivational speeches, which I would love to hear one day. But what's the next level for Harry? So I manifested about three months ago, the three main areas where I feel like I could do good work. and that is in the prison, in the justice system, in rehabs, and in schools.

They're the three main places, and I've ticked two of them off already. I'm in with a prison locally. I'm going in, and I'm delivering cold water exposure and workshops to young offenders on the drug rehabilitation wing. I'm also going into a rehab every couple of weeks now. I'm just going to, you know, hopefully open the door to the schools. But the plan is just to keep showing up for myself, keep ice bathing until day 1,000 minimum, and obviously sell some tubs, get some great calls. content, inspire the people to do what I've done.

And I just keep showing up. Harry, I want to thank you so much, Harry Beattie. One last thing I'll say, I used to work in entertainment TV. Your story has the makings of a fantastic movie. It really does. I guarantee you some... A documentary. A documentary.

Somebody is going to... I'm telling you, somebody is going to come and they're going to ask you for your life rights and just make sure you get an executive producer credit and you get to sign off on the script because I tell you, your story is. to be out in every in every way. And I want to thank you. You've really made my day. I appreciate you, brother.

Thank you. All right. Best of luck to you. I want to stamp myself one of the best players to ever play this game. Wednesdays on Global. That's how you're doing. This is their moment. The lying.

The backstabbing. I'm excited to do it. Canada's number one reality show. This is a highly venomous snake. I'm worried about his life at this point. We both aren't afraid to be killers. I'm the puppet master. She was Karen.

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