It sucks some of you have had such negative experiences with the members of AA. The thing about AA is that every meeting is autonomous. No two meetings are the same. For me, it took some experimentation and trial and error to figure out the meetings that were a good fit for me. I spent my morning at an 8am meeting laughing my ass off with a bunch of men who have years of sobriety but know how to have a good time. Sure, sometimes it gets serious, but we are not a glum lot. Most of the meetings I go to are like this. I honestly have a good time just hanging out with friends, talking sobriety and developing deep, honest relationships with people who understand me better than I understood myself when I first came in.
If a meeting makes you feel like drinking, try another one. And another until you find one that "fits."
I guess it just irks me a little bit when someone says how bad they want to get sober, but then dismisses some aspect of recovery (not just AA) as "not for them." As a couple of people already mentioned, I was willing to do ANYTHING to get and stay sober. My way put in in a coma in the ICU. My way alienated me from everyone that still loved and cared about me. So this time, I decided to try it another way without questioning the suggestions that were made to me. Those suggestions have gotten me 1.5 years of productive sobriety. Those suggestions have eliminated any urge to drink or use drugs. I have no cravings. My anxiety is under control. I live a normal and happy life. I'm not religious. I'm a stubborn person. I can be quick to judgment. But when I just let go and became willing and open-minded to the process, all of my doubts, fears and resentments towards the program dissipated.
So screw MY way.
AA is not the only way to get and stay sober. There are plenty of people here on SR that are living proof of that. But to dismiss any method of recovery after only a short time seems a bit short-sided. In the end, no matter what you choose to do, you get out of it what you put in. If you put in negative energy and resistance, the results will reflect that mentality.