Is Labor Day your favorite holiday because it celebrates work? On the other hand, you hate the irony of having a day off from work in order to celebrate it? If so, you might have workaholism.
From Healthline:
Though it isn’t a formally recognized diagnosable disorder in the new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), one thing is clear: It’s very much a real mental health condition and it can have a very real impact on people’s lives.
‘Work addiction is a complex condition in which an individual develops a psychological, emotional, and social dependence on work,’ explains Matt Glowiak, a licensed clinical professional counselor in Illinois. ‘It is chronic and progressive.’
In 1998, Chained to the Desk: A Guidebook for Workaholics, Their Partners and Children, and the Clinicians Who Treat Them, by family therapist Bryan Robinson, was considered “the first comprehensive portrait of the workaholic.” (The link is to the second edition, 2007).
Robinson, who previously suffered himself from this disorder, calls work addiction “the best-dressed problem of the twenty-first century.” Why? Because it looks so good on the outside; and as such, it’s even often rewarded. As stated in a newswise.com article: “In a society that places high value on work and lauds individuals for their strong work ethic, getting workaholism recognized as a real, dangerous problem has been an uphill battle.”
People with work addiction may show some of these 10 signs, according to Robinson (Psychology Today):
- Hurrying. Not content to do one job at a time the work addict will schedule multiple tasks with minimal time for completion.
- Control. They must control every activity to see that it gets done right.
- Perfectionism. They are tough to work for and even worse to live with.
- Relationship difficulty. They let down family and friends by neglecting responsibilities and missing events, signifying that work is more important than family and relationships.
- Work binges. Like the alcoholic they will even hide work, sneaking it along on vacation, or continuing to work in their heads while physically appearing to be present in a social or family activity.
- Inability to relax. Like all other addictions, it takes more of the behavior to achieve relief, and without the addictive activity the sufferer enters withdrawal.
- Brownouts. Kind of like alcoholic blackouts. Preoccupation with work.
- Impatience and irritability.
- Self-inadequacy. As with other addictions there is a progressive need to achieve more, as the addict develops increasing tolerance requiring more drug to get the same high.
- Self-neglect. They skip meals, sleep, fun, and exercise in their treadmill existence.
In addition to therapy, participation in a 12-step program is often recommended. Click here on the Workaholics Anonymous site for 20 questions you can ask yourself about your relationship to your work.
