I always order a diet Coke with a lime. When people start getting stupid or sloppy, or I get a painful twinge for the shot of rum that the lime used to swim in, I know it's time to smile, make my goodnights, and drive home.
Over time, I find that two things have happened: One, none of the real friends in my life are heavy drinkers (those that were/are simply faded out), and because of it, my socializing takes place at bars far less frequently, and Two, my urge to drink when in a bar environment or with friends who are having alcohol has dropped down to nil.
If the cravings are still really nasty for you, my advice is to cut down on the amount of time you spend in temptation situations, and go to more AA meetings. I found that nothing kicks the urge for a drink faster than hearing someone else's sad story.
