Well said, FS!
I would add that another benefit of disassociation was that for me, it went a long way toward stopping the whole internal debate over will I or won't I. I have my position, the beast has its, and there's no middle ground, nothing to debate, no room for negotiation. I should note however that this is where the Big Plan comes in--the commitment needs to be permanent and unconditional, otherwise it remains open to negotiation at some unspecified time or circumstance.
Also, I don't look at it as suppressing, Obladi. The beast will do what beasts do. Let it howl away; that desperate need for alcohol is its problem, not mine. Of course, over time the howl can become a whimper, hardly even noticeable. But actively trying to silence the beast is a form of engaging it; the idea here is simply to recognize it for what it is, not to suppress it.