Your Past Does Not Equal Who You Are Now | Dr. Larry Smith

The Thought Atlas Podcast · Sep 4, 2026 · 38m

What does it take to rebuild a life after addiction?

In this episode of Thought Atlas, Dr. Larry Smith shares his personal journey through 30 years of alcohol and drug use and nearly 27 years of recovery. He reflects on the voice he experienced during his addiction, which he eventually named “Johnny,” and why personifying that voice became a way of understanding the internal battle of addiction.

The conversation explores a deeper dimension of recovery: purpose. For Smith, sobriety became about more than avoiding alcohol and drugs. He wanted to return to his career as a chiropractor, repair…