Episode 1094: A New Identity

Episode 1094: A New Identity

He explains alcoholism as a medical condition that changes his body’s reaction to alcohol and triggers cravings, but he’s clear that the real issue lies in his sober relationship with alcohol: standing in front of the beer aisle after years dry thinking, *“I think I could drink and it would be different this time.”* That mental obsession, he says, has been removed “through the power of a loving God and the application of the 12 spiritual disciplines in the 12 Steps.” Monty uses down-to-earth examples — peanuts, diabetes, hospital recovery — to explain how he can say he has “recovered” without claiming a cure.

What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? In this episode of Take 12 Recovery Radio’s *Came to Believe Recovery Podcast*, Monty Dale Meyer, better known as the Monty’man, goes solo to talk about what he calls “a new identity” in recovery. Speaking as “a recovered alcoholic,” Monty breaks down what that phrase means to him.

He stresses that addiction has been destructive, but “it’s not the total sum of who we are.” The heart of his message is identity: are people going to keep seeing themselves mainly as broken addicts, or as people being restored with “purpose, dignity and value”? He also tackles the tension around labels.

Calling oneself an alcoholic or addict can keep a healthy connection to the past and build instant rapport with newcomers — “I’ve been where you are” — but he insists that these are tools for connection, not permanent definitions. The daily practice of Steps 10, 11 and 12, or “living in the go,” is presented as a way of life that keeps this new identity alive and grounded.

The episode closes on a hopeful note: “We are not defined by what once held us captive. We are defined by the grace that set us free.” It’s a direct call to ask yourself: what are you building your identity on today?