AA is simple, not easy. As mentioned, the program is not "Just dont drink, go to meetings and pray." If someone can "Just not drink" they arent an alcoholic. This is the kind of watered down message that confuses the hell out of newcomers, as you have come to see.
The program is the 12 steps. Find someone who has worked them and ask to be shown the way. That's how we get results. Nowhere in the book does it say "having had a spiritual awakening as the result of 90 meetings in 90 days and calling my sponsor every day." Its the steps we take not the meetings we make. And it is simple. We have a detailed instruction manual, The Big Book. Get to know it because then youll know who is blowing smoke up your you know what and who is speaking the truth. We have to put some hard work in. If you can find an easy way to recover, my hat is off to you.
I hope you give the program a shot. If not, please understand that if you have not worked the steps, you were never in the program. You were in the fellowship. Two different things.
I say that for two reasons, 1. So the program is still an option for you and 2. You dont go out telling people that the program of AA does not work.
I wish you the best and I really hope you find the answers you need.