Blarney we are all different, for me it was medical detox followed by immersing myself totally into AA for over 6 months doing a minimum of a meeting a day, reading recovery literature, and taking the steps with my sponsor along with following suggestions. When I went into detox I was hopeless, I was however willing to do any thing suggested to stay sober, detox suggested tons of AA and AA suggested the steps.
I know folks in AA that went to anywhere from 2-6 long term rehabs and still wound up getting drunk again, every one of them has said that it was not until they fully embraced the steps of AA that they were able to be able to stay sober and happy.
I know some folks in AA that detoxed while they went to AA meetings, I have seen more then one person shaking so bad from withdrawals during a meeting that they could barely keep from spilling a half cup of coffee holding it with both hands. Some of them made it with AA alone.
I made it with a medical detox, tons of AA and VERY silent presence of my family for the first 6 months, then they began to beleive that maybe I was serious about this sobriety deal and I might just stay sober.
The best suggestion I was ever given besides AA was given to me in detox and it sure worked well for me was "Spend as much time working on your recovery as you did drinking!"
If you want sobriety you can have it, but it takes work, patience, persaverance, HONESTY, an OPEN mind, and a willingness to do what ever it takes to not drink TODAY!.
It was not easy for me, it was damn hard those first 2-3 months, but it has been WELL worth it in spades!