Spaw, if it didn't work for you, it didn't work for you-- because the thought you had was NOT to do the "other" thing but because your thought went immediately back to the craving. And that's fine-- it just didn't work for you. But it wasn't the technique that was at fault. You just had not yet learned how to out-think the addiction. It fooled you. Don't you kinda hate it that you let it do that?
I am glad you found what could work for you at the time. But you have given two different reasons now why this didn't work the other way.... so watch out, my friend, that addiction doesn't go right back to fooling you, in another form or another time around.
IMO there is very little in life that goes better when we take our best thinking out of the picture. Sex? Better with the brain engaged, too. Sctatching our crotches? I'll have to try it both ways to be sure..... but I bet thinking makes that feel even better, too. :~)