I suppose I could have once said that AA didn't work for me either. I went to about ten meetings, or rather they came to me in the hospital. A couple of dedicated old guys drove a long way to try and help us. I guess they did their best but, though I was not anti AA, whatever their message was, it went right over my head. I just could not connect the dots which I now think meant I could not at that time, see the reality of my situation. No ones fault, I just couldn't see the truth. Also I did the meetings, but have no recollection of even considering the steps. I did not catch on that there was an actual program.
A year or so later I am at deaths door all options having failed. I was the last survivor of my group who had turned down the AA lifeline. 2 sober in AA, 7 dead, and me.
I would be number 8 if I had not been willing to give AA another go. This time was a completely different experience. My eyes had been opened to the truth, and I saw what needed to be done in order to recover, though I really did not believe it would work for me. I brought all the open mindedness, willingness and honesty I could muster to the process, and, very much to my surprise, made a full and permanent recovery.
In the end there was only one thing I had to give up, self reliance.