Work addiction, or workaholism, is one of the new addictions. It is an addiction “without drugs”, linked to a legit activity and extremely approved by society.
Workaholism falls into obsessive compulsive behaviors disorder. It is characterized by the copresence of cognitive content, work related obsessive thoughts, and a behavioral component, which leads the individual to spend the majority of his/her day working. The compulsive urge to work incessantly, just like in any other obsessive compulsive disorders, has the primary function to suppress the anxiety caused by the content of the very same obsessive thoughts.
Workaholics tend to spend all their resources in their work life, cutting out any other spheres of life and not showing any interest in their relationships, family life and personal life. The urge to work is so strong that the workaholic will find himself with compromised health and compromised family ties.
SYMPTOMS
The most common symptoms for a workaholic are anxiety, depression and mood disorders. Mood swings are characterized by an ambivalence of depressive and maniacal-like status, both of which are “treated” by the workaholic with alcohol or drugs.
Workaholism shares some dysfunctional behavioral patterns with other addictions (alcohol, drugs) and with non-substance related addictions (such as gambling). Some of these patterns include the urge to act on the pathological behavior in spite of the negative consequences at a physical, mental and relational level, linked to feelings of loss and of not being in control.
Therefore, what links all these addictions together is the physical and psychological self-destructive process implemented by the subject in an uncontrolled and uncontrollable way.
The personological picture of the workaholic includes extreme perfectionism, inability to relax, low self-esteem which is then overcompensated by playing roles with always increasing levels of responsibilities, and an active avoidance of negative emotions by focusing on the job. Workaholism usually affects people who play important roles and have therefore many responsibilities; it is prevalent in men, even though it is increasing among women too.
- First stage: the first physical symptoms start showing (headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, various algias) followed by the first psychological symptoms (focusing issues, insomnia, mood disorders, anxiety);
- Second stage: it is characterized by the abuse of the job activity. Some typical addictions’ behaviors may insurge, such as denial, aggressive behaviors when confronted, excuses. There is a quick escalation, which may require the involvement of doctors and psychiatrist often called by the family;
- Last stage: here the disorder becomes chronic. The workaholic’s first priority is his/her job, and spends all his/her day working, even at night.
TREATMENT
A cognitive behavioral therapy seems to be the most successful one for the treating of the disorder. It may be associated with a pharmaceutical therapy which aims to stabilize the mood swings and to reduce obsessions and associated compulsions.
