Madeeha Syed

Overcoming Workaholism

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The Dangerous Addiction Of Workaholism

Workaholism

Dr Barabara Killinger, author of Workaholics: The Respectable Addicts, describes a workaholic as &ldquo;A work-obsessed individual who gradually becomes emotionally crippled and addicted to power and control in a compulsive drive to gain approval and public recognition of success.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The existence of these highly motivated individuals is tunnel visioned around being able to complete their list of tasks, achieving their goal and getting that dopamine high when they finally &lsquo;accomplish&rsquo; something. Everything and everyone in their life fades and, eventually, stops mattering.&nbsp;

You don&rsquo;t have to have a job to be a workaholic. Students and homemakers constantly aiming for perfection also suffer from this mindset.&nbsp;

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A hard worker vs a workaholic

A hard worker doesn&rsquo;t lose him/herself in their work. The main difference that characterizes the difference between them and a workaholic is that a hard worker is emotionally present for the people most important for him/her - friends, family, colleagues etc.&nbsp;

They maintain a healthy balance between work and their personal space and responsibilities. Of course hard workers can, on occasion, experience a burst of overworking in order to meet important deadlines and goals. They normally balance that with rest days to recuperate and recharge.&nbsp;

Most importantly: healthy hard workers usually protect their free time (such as their weekends). Rest, recreation and spending time with loved ones is just as important to them as work is.&nbsp; 
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Contrary to the hard worker, workaholics don&rsquo;t exist in this balance of the personal and professional. Their lives are ruled by their workplace performance. They are hooked on the adrenaline high of accomplishment at work that leaves them endlessly power hungry.&nbsp;

Much like addicts that abuse substances, for workaholics, there is no end. Once they reach one goal, they will set another higher one. It&rsquo;s an endless cycle &mdash; one that comes at a great personal and sometimes, professional cost.&nbsp;

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downward spiral of workaholism

They seem forever preoccupied and forever in a rush. They may appear healthy and are prone to multitasking but this eventually is what undos them: their eventual lack of focus worsens their performance anxiety leading to a worsening internal chaos. Since they believe they lack control over the self, to quieten their fears and anxiety, they try to control every action and micromanage everyone around them.&nbsp;

This eventually leads to them experiencing worsening health, suffering panic attacks, acute anxiety and depression and inability to follow a healthy sleep pattern.&nbsp; 
For more detailed information, read The Making of a Workaholic. 
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Conclusion

Workaholics are caught in an endless cycle of attaining goal-reward-setting a new goal. Everyone and everything else in their lives fade into the background and take a backseat. Workaholics differ from hard workers in that they lack boundaries and are unable to maintain a healthy balance between their professional and personal lives. Workaholism is an addiction that consumes the person until they start to spiral.&nbsp; 
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Rukhsana Rizwan

Overview

Helping a workaholic is not as simple as implementing strategies to spend less time at work; it requires support to reframe thoughts and help to dissociate a sense of self-worth and value from work performance.

Like most addictions, work addiction will get worse over time until a person seeks help. People may experience &ldquo;burnout&rdquo; if they work to the point of physical and mental exhaustion. This is a common result of work addiction. Burnout can lead to extreme stress, damaged relationships, and even drug abuse. 
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Treatment Options

Without treatment, a person with a work addiction could alienate themselves from friends and family. Waiting too long to get help could damage these relationships permanently. Also, chronic stress that sometimes results from constant working can be hard on physical health.&nbsp;

Overwork may lead to a weakened immune system and increased risk of disease. But fortunately, work addiction is manageable. With treatment, people can restore a healthy work balance in their lives.

People with a work addiction often work to avoid feelings of guilt about not working. So, it&rsquo;s important for the recovering addict to develop a healthy relationship with work. Most of us need to work in order to pay bills, so creating a balance is crucial. In most cases, it is impossible to simply stop working.

It may be helpful to take some time off from work to realize that life will go on without constant working. A career change may also help manage the addiction. As a psychosocial condition, work addiction is usually much easier to control than drug addiction.

The following changes might also help:

<ul>
	<li>making lifestyle changes</li>
	<li>balancing your life activities</li>
	<li>avoiding stressors and triggers 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Work addiction can result from a coexisting mental health condition, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or bipolar disorder. The addiction could also cause mental health issues, such as depression.

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For these reasons, it may be helpful to have a mental health assessment. A mental health expert can help design a treatment plan. The plan will address the addiction and any underlying problems. One-on-one therapy, and even medications, could help control impulses, anxiety, and stress.

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