And while most ex-premies do not go back and become premies again, they often are on the look-out for the next guru or method of enlightenment - sometimes in such a compulsive way that again 'addiction' is a good description.

I cannot think of a single ex-premie I know who went on to another Guru or even a "new age" belief system like EST    I know a few who have joined, or resumed being members of mainline churches, but nobody who is following a guru.

In fact, from what I have seen, the strongest characteristic of "ex-cult-members" is a high degree of skepticism of all that kind of stuff, sometimes to an extreme.  I think you would find that ex-cult-members, including ex-premies, are more likely to be Athiests than the general population.

I am completely convinced that "cult" is the most accurate term to describe Rawat and premiedom.  Addiction also applies, but to a lesser extent, also because it's used in general conversation in a somewhat different way.