Hi Doogie,
Welcome! You don't have to use AA. Don't rule it out... I've been to three meetings when I felt the need to be around other drinkers, and I think I will continue to drop in on occasion. But it's not my primary method and I don't expect it ever will be. I have always been a self-designed-major kind of girl.
For me, posting here has taken the role of a support group. Reading people's questions and trying to answer them is very helpful to me. It forces me to form concrete opinions on all kinds of things related to sobriety, and spurs a good deal of research.
SR also provides me with accountability, which I think is another huge part of success. I post pretty much every day in the thread of my quit month, and have gotten to know the other people who quit around the same time as me. That is really helpful for some of the stuff you mention. It's been so helpful to me to share the ups and downs and temptations.
I started a daily yoga practice to reconnect with my body, practice impulse control, and be around other people who are also trying to improve their body and mind.
And just recently I began seeing a recovery counselor to help me work through the underlying issues and fortify myself against relapse.
Whatever you decide to do, the most important thing is just to stick with it. I think consistency is probably a big part of success in any method.