AA meetings are the only way that I've been able to stay sober. I'm 30 and have known I was an alcoholic since I was 21. I am 20 days alcohol-free and am going to meetings DAILY, specifically during times when I am most likely to pick up. I am fortunate in that I live in a city (NYC) that has so many options and AA resources, but AA is everywhere. I tried going to an AA meeting for the first time a couple of years ago, didn't go back, and started drinking shortly after. I realize now it is because I wasn't ready to stop drinking then. It took turning 30, being single in 6 weddings, isolating myself and alienating many close friends and family members for me to realize that sobriety is my only option if I wanted to have anything that resembled a decent quality of life. You have to come to it in your own time, on your own terms.
I had to understand and accept that my friendships/relationships would change. You will not succeed in sobriety if you continue to party with people who go to bars /clubs and binge drink. Yes, you will have weak moments and you will be in situations where being around alcohol is unavoidable. I am still learning that the more I subject myself to people and situations that involve alcohol, the more I am putting myself at risk of picking up a drink. I had to learn that my alcoholism was unmanageable. Alcoholism is a progressive disease, and whenever I tried to "manage" it by limiting myself to just one drink, "one drink" inevitably turned into "wasted". Maybe not right away, but it ALWAYS happened eventually.
I had to accept that, in sobriety, my LIFE would change, and change is HARD. But it is changing for the better. The longer I am sober, the more confident I become and the easier it is to STAY sober. I understand that the alcoholic inside of me will be there until the day I die, waiting to catch me at a weak moment, and that I have to constantly be aware of that fact.
You joined SR for a reason. Whatever that reason is, this is a great place to get support. Whenever you are ready to be more productive, have more meaningful relationships, and be liberated from the grief, guilt, and drama that comes with drinking too much, AA and SR will be here. It takes a lot of people many tries before they finally commit to a sober lifestyle, but as long as you keep trying, you are on the right track!!! Google the book "Living Sober" and read the first couple of chapters. It is a good starting point, and has helped me TREMENDOUSLY in terms of coping with my feelings about drinking. Good luck!!!