Originally Posted by
Gottalife 
What ways? If there was an alternative to AA I would have found it.
"Here are some of the methods we have tried: Drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drinking only at home, never having it in the house, never drinking during business hours, drinking only at parties, switching from scotch to brandy, drinking only natural wines, agreeing to resign if ever drunk on the job, taking a trip, not taking a trip, swearing off forever (with and without a solemn oath), taking more physical exercise, reading inspirational books, going to health farms and sanitariums, accepting voluntary commitment to asylums - we could increase the list ad infinitum."
I invite you to increase the list with the ways people were recovering before AA.
I spent 7 years in AA myself, a few years back and I firmly believed that there was no alternative to AA. my sponser reinforced this belief in me, along with many of the members. I have respect for AA as a mutual support group and it seems many benefit from attending the meetings. In my case though, I left mainly to seek alternative ways of dealing with my drinking, and I would without doubt fall into the category of alcoholic, although im reluctant to attach this label to myself today. Today I attend lifering for which no programme is required, no sponser, no meeting attendance requirement, infact very little outside a belief in your own ability to abstain required really and a plan of action set up by yourself. Mutual support is there in the meetings and again, I think people really benefit from this, I know I do. For myself though, its more about having somewhere to sit and share about difficulties or challenges im experiencing in my life today as opposed to using it as a place I can attribute all my sober success to. In my mind its an alternative, along with others previously mentioned by dee.