It really seems to. I have to do it when I'm not having cravings for practice, because they can be pretty hard to ignore. Now that I've gotten the hang of it just being able to clear my mind of that stupid AV for a few minutes is enough to get me back on the right track.
I also saw someone say that they wrote down their "play it forward list" about what would happen if they took a drink. I guess writing it down instead of just thinking it can be more powerful to some people.
Never hurts to try! Whatever you need to get through them.
Ice Cream is also helpful for me haha