Congratulations to all of you!
A good friend I met in early recovery said to me: Sobriety is like a pregnancy; when the pregnancy is over, it doesn't stop there.
Everyone's recovery program is as unique and individual as they are. It's not a one-size-fits-all.
If AA is something you want to try and are worried about anonymity, venture out of town for meetings. I know doctors and lawyers who do this. They all would've traveled miles and miles to drink so they're willing to do what it takes to live life fully in recovery.
I think the 'feeling good right after stopping drinking' can be a result of a number of things but since what goes up must come down, I agree that it won't always be this way - it's a false sense of security that alcohol plays to lure us back into thinking we can control it or take a break from it anytime - getting sober again won't feel like crap. Uhmm. Not so much.
Strictly speaking for me, in early sobriety, I found it best to not put myself in vulnerable situations where alcohol is present - it was like the saying goes: If you continue going into the barbershop, eventually you'll get a haircut.
My experience on developing a feeling-good-everyday-program is to do things that recenter the mind, body and spirit since they're all parts of the same unit. If one part fails, it affects the others.
Peace & Progress ~