It helped me a lot at the very beginning to learn about 'mindfulness', the action of just stopping in my tracks for only a minute. This is to give me time to assess and become aware of my body's reactions first, and then my mind's reactions. I found a good thing to focus on was simply to become aware of breathing and the physical sensations around breathing. Air coming in is cool, air going out is warmer. The chest rises and falls, diaphragm moves up and down, clothing moves against the skin. The person that is me is having a thought about drinking again, it is making him anxious, breathing is shallow, thinking is scattered.
These were all sensations that were happening in that present moment. Once I directed my attention there and I was able to put 'space' around the thought of drinking, that thought lost its ability to compel my actions. Then, I realized that the urge had passed from me through the simple act of my mind.
Urges come and go all by themselves, and when they go, you find yourself as you were, sober.