Is Laziness an Addiction

Former basketball cagers who played for me at Cascade College over 40 years ago.

Got a question for you all. As you know, I have the joy and privlege of teaching at the Lighthouse Mission. The programmers there have all been addicted to drugs/alcohol and many have been incarcerated because of it. The reasons for the addiction are usually sought out, faced and worked through so that when the person leaves in a year, he is not a "dry drunk."

The thought struck me yesterday that a person who has trouble with self-discipline has an addiction. Because, in working with some very special people lately who struggle with building a disciplined life, I'm finding that they are in the throes of resistance just like breaking an addiction. The program is just not working.



Consequently, I'm now wondering how I can classify this "addiction." Are they addicted to laziness? To hedonism - pleasure seeking - the pleasure of being comfortable over the "pain of discipline? To self - self trust, self will (I want what I want), self-sufficiency? And what is the pay-off for the lack of discipline?



Do you have any ideas or experience? I'm thinking that if we can label this an addiction, the problem will be taken more seriously, subsequently attacked more viciously.



My blog's comments section is not working, so if you have any suggestions, please send them to rburwick@mindspring.com. And thanks.