I remembered another thing I used to do when I felt compelled to drink even though I didn't want to. I would think of this monster that lived inside my brain always whispering to me that "this time it will be ok. You can have just one." And various other lies to get me to drink. Some people here refer to that monster as AV or addicted voice/alcoholic voice. In my imagination I called this monster The Beast. The Beast didn't care about me. The Beast didn't care if I got arrested or hurt or even dead. All The Beast ever wanted was alcohol, 24/7. If I recognized the craving for alcohol for what it was, just the addicted part of my brain playing tricks on me, then I could tell The Beast to go to hell and say NO.
This worked for me! I don't get cravings as often anymore, so my recovery looks a bit different now. But I know that just because The Beast is sleeping now doesn't mean it won't wake up and start spewing lies to me again. Sometimes just the smell of alcohol or the sound of ice cubes clinking in a glass will be enough to wake The Beast. I have to pay attention to that part of my brain that is (and probably always will be) addicted to alcohol.