Ep.61 - Addicted to the StruggleEp.61 - Addicted to the Struggle
E4C: Mindfulness for Millenials
beacons.ai/garrettavery Are You Addicted to the Struggle?What if struggle has become more than something we experience? What if it has become something we unconsciously depend on?In this episode, we explore our addiction to struggle, the role culture...
10:58•7 Nov 2026
Addicted to the Struggle: When Hardship Becomes a Habit
Episode Overview
- Struggle can become an addictive pattern, reinforced by cultural stories of heroes and martyrs.
- Many people equate suffering with worthiness and success, leading them to seek extra hardship beyond what is actually needed.
- Behavioural addiction to struggle shares similarities with substance addiction, including familiar rituals, environments and emotional cycles.
- Breaking the habit of struggle requires mental, physical, emotional and spiritual shifts, much like recovery from drugs or alcohol.
- A key step is asking what will replace struggle, and whether a life of calm and peace feels genuinely acceptable and safe.
“When you take all of that struggle out of the math, what are you going to replace it with?”
What emotional and inspiring tales of recovery are out there? This episode zooms in on a different kind of addiction: being hooked on struggle itself. Host Garrett Avery, "head clown in charge", talks openly about how drama, sacrifice and hardship became part of his identity, much like a chemical habit. Coming from a culture of hero worship, Garrett reflects on how stories of martyrs and epic battles shaped his belief that suffering was required for greatness.
He jokes about turning everyday life into a Hollywood script, then points out the cost: "My addiction to the struggle became no less than this, where I got so used to overcoming and overcoming and overcoming the next challenge... an endless hamster wheel." If you've ever felt oddly restless when things are going smoothly, you might recognise yourself here. Garrett draws strong parallels between behavioural patterns and drug addiction, sharing his own history with hard drugs and rehab.
He describes how the ritual of struggle can become just as chemically and emotionally familiar as substance use. One of the standout moments is a question a friend once asked him: "When you take all of that struggle out of the math, what are you going to replace it with?
Are you ready to live a life of calm, of peace, and of success without having to struggle and sacrifice for it?" It’s a tough ask for anyone who’s long defined themselves by their battles. Rather than pretending he has it all figured out, Garrett speaks from a "much more aware position, but also still on the way". The episode blends humour, honesty and spirituality, encouraging you to see struggle addiction as something you can work with gently over time.
If your recovery journey still feels like a war zone, could it be time to ask what life without constant struggle might look like?
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