1st time post, after knowing I have a love for alcohol I knew it wasn’t healthy. I would sometimes drink 3 times a week. 2 times and sometimes once every week. For the past 15 years… The longest I have been sober is 1 month and only achieved this twice. I just completed 7 days sober and the sleepless nights was horrendous. But I felt my head was becoming clearer, more energy, face didn’t appear as bloated but insomnia was brutal. One day I felt great and decided to get drunk. At the time it was worth it . But 2 days later I’m still having the hangover effect with brain fog and low energy levels and the feeling of regret and anxiety. The alcohol affects the central nervous system which isn’t doing me any favours. 7 days sober isn’t much but I remember feeling like a better person. I wish the gyms would hurry and reopen so I can focus on that again. People say there’s reasons for drinking. Mine is just loneliness. I should really put more effort into finding a relationship to stop the loneliness but my social anxiety prevents me from meeting people. Damn you alcohol lol
Welcome! Glad you joined the forum. So much support here. Stick around, read lots. 
Hi pal, good on you for completing 7 sober days, that’s a great start! The drinking as a reward for not drinking is an alcoholic phenomenon as well known as it is paradox. Don’t beat yourself up too much about it but learn from this experience, next time you’ll probably feel the same way again, but you don’t have to act on it.
You can start doing excercise at home or running (or going on a trip to the Highlands!), many small but immediate changes are very effective, more than putting things off too much…
Same goes for your loneliness. Maybe there’s a few friends you could meet up with for a gab, or get to know some of the amazing folks on here, rather than putting your hope in a future relationship. Starting living and taking responsible for you life in the now, my friend!
There’s lots of support and knowledge on here, you just have to reach out and accept it.
Power to you! you can make it another week, then eight days, then 14… 
Thanks for this
My home province is Nova Scotia, which means New Scotland! Just a random tidbit to share lol
Yeah I fucked up 
. Was worth it at the time but now I wish I never bothered. I do excersizes and weight training but afterwards I feel like celebrating with alcohol which is a stupid move lol. I’m from central area of Scotland, only time I would socialise with people is at the gym but due to the coronavirus pandemic the social life is basically non existence, can’t wait for it to be over and live a better life. Once I complete a month sober I shall upload a before and after picture, thanks for ur kind words
I Love trailer park Boys
I have almost 9 months now, I’ve relapsed at various spots in sobriety before and i can say it was never worth it, not one time.
Stick around here, stay sober one day at a time. Before you know it your life will be unrecognizable to you. Welcome.
Wow… 9 months… Top respect btw, I can imagine it was very challenging at times but the fact u continued is amazing. I want to reach the 9 months mark aswell
If i can you can, that is fact. Im hoping to reach decades of sobriety, the nice thing is that im in the driver’s seat. If i keep putting the work into my sobriety and keep it one day at a time that goal will be achievable (as long as i live that long).
You will smash this and before you know it… You will have reached 10 years sober, your an absolute machine for conquering 9 months
The 9 months really isn’t important though. You and I have the same goal and are playing for the same prize, that’s staying sober for today.
Actual love that quote. “Same prize for today is stayin sober”
When is voluntary slavery ever worth it?
The journal continues… day 1 completed and now On day 2, the insomnia last night was brutal. Everytime I tried to sleep I would break out in sweats. Finally went to sleep at 6 in the morning and woke up at 2.20pm. It is now 4:10pm and iv lost yet another day to be productive and excersize cause I feel shitty. So glad I didn’t have work today. Lack of appetite to almost non existence, high blood pressure red flustered face, body sweaty symptoms, low energy and brain fog is still lingering, anxiety and dizzyness. Shortness of breath, puffy and tired face, skin colour on my face looks crap also. the symptoms I’m feeling I actually feel as if I relapsed again last night but without the alcohol all these symptoms I’m having compared to how I felt on the day I decided to relapse is a huge difference and not in a good way. I said in my 1st post was it worth it? I can hand on heart say no. Iv listed many negatives to the result of alcohol but I can’t think of one positive thing about it. I’m glad for this app because I felt like I had to go through this alone but with many supportive inspirational members on this I realise I’m not alone in this battle. We can smash this everyone
Loneliness played a big part in my drug usage so I,m right with you there m8, one thing that I thoroughly believe in is something that they strongly advise at any twelve step group/meeting (AA/NA) and that is to not get romantically involved with anybody until you have at least a year of continuous sobriety. It allows us to have a relationship and to get to know ourselves and with most of us having spent the largest chunk of our lives drunk or drugged we barely know who we are as people so it,s not the best time to get in to a relationship, add to that the ups and downs of dating etc and it vastly increased the risk of relapse.
When we heal and begin to lead a healthy life we then start to attract more suitable people who actually want to be a part of our life be it a friend or partner.
I know that you might not need to hear this bud but I just thought that I,d put it out there.
You have us for company now, come here and post whenever you need to and NEVER CRAVE ALONE! As our good friend and fellow member @Wunderbar said to me in my early days and I tell you that has saved me a few times! 
Bookmark this and re read as often as necessary. Screenshot it and paste it on your phones home page. 
Thanks for your time to respond, this hugely is appreciated. I know your feeling about drug usage, mines cannabis. I totally get what your saying about waiting till to find someone cause if I’m not happy with myself at the moment then how do I expect someone else to be happy with me. I do believe meeting the wrong person would cause a relapse. Iv had to turn folk away who say they like to go partying alot as I don’t want involved in that life no more. That was a good quote from @Wunderbar, the feeling is mutual to yourself and to everyone else who want a to vent and to know il do what I can to help. Nd to b ever be afraid to reach out. I had a good quote from @Dan531 " you and I have the same goal and playing for the same prize, and that’s staying sober for today". Sorry Dan but I stole your quote and sent it to another member on this but I did say I got it from another member though 
@SassyRocks thanks I will. I’m goin to keep this journal going so I can look back at this and remember the journey I went through
I have the day 2 foggy shit feeling as well and look forward to when this clears. If the sun’s out, go bag you a munro! Sweat out the nastiness and sleep like a baby 
I can’t wait to get off work and go run this filth out of my system.
The head fog just sucks eh Wish the steam rooms or saunas were open so I can swear this out. Going to do some weight training tomorrow if I manage to sleep and have energy for it. I hate not doing it but it’s just alcohol related withdrawals tht make me shitty to do them. Now iv no excuses. Il go for walks n wee jogs to build My cardio up before I attempt the big walks up hills lol . We can smash our 14 day challenge since we’re both on day 2