I stopped drinking alcohol

Are things better? Yes. I've lost weight, I got a stylish haircut, I comb my hair every day, have baths more regularly and use deodorant every day, have more new clothes, I shaved off an unkempt beard, I eat more freshly prepared meals, relations are less strained with my parents, I'm less depressed than I was, I have more energy to do things and enjoy hobbies I'd stopped enjoying like reading, watching TV and doing research.

However, I'm lonely. I know alcohol isn't the answer. I will no longer make excuses about how alcohol can fix things, it will not. I've joined a new National Autistic Society social group where I live and will keep going, hoping for the best. I've only been once and only two other Autistic people attended, there were two people running it as well (it's possible they were Autistic too, for all I know).

On the bright side, three women in local supermarkets I shop at have complimented me on my appearance, one of them said I looked like I've had a makeover, another said I am looking really good and she could hardly believe I was the same person. There's also a man I know who had chatted to me a few times when I was a drunk and he saw the new me and was taken aback and asked me if he could have a selfie with me.

I still have severe anxiety and struggle to demonstrate empathy for others. I'm still finding it hard to make conversation with people and it is often stilted and terse.

Two positive things, the next time I go to the GP, they can not dismiss any of my problems based on alcoholism as that will no longer be relevant, and social services had told me if I got sober they would be looking into giving me one-to-one support so that could be in the pipeline, I asked my social worker at the last meeting and he said I need to be sober for a bit longer first.