WORKAHOLISM

Being passionate and committed to a job is well regarded and socially considered as a successful quality, but there’s a difference between having a strong work ethic and being addicted to work, the former is something to be proud of, the latter is a serious condition.

"Workaholism is an addiction that is dangerous as any other and is always met with denial."

SYMPTOMS
• Devalue personal priorities
• Don’t take real vacations
• Use your personal time for work
• Perform tasks that aren't required
• Trouble delegating co-workers
• Don’t have any real hobbies
• Difficulty working as part of a team
• Neglect of family and social relations.
• Lose track of time

ASPECTS
• Preoccupation with work
• Discomfort in delegating
• Neglect other aspects of their life
• Merge other parts of their lives into work

VARIETY OF WORKAHOLICS
Two axes for workaholics: work initiation and work completion.
"Savoring Workaholics" (those with low work initiation and low work completion) and "Attention-Deficit Workaholics" (those with high work initiation and low work completion).

WORKAHOLIC AT WORK

Working too much will most likely decrease the productivity, drain the creativity, and negatively affect any career.

A workaholic does not aim to complete a necessary task or to reach a financial reward, but rather to fulfill a psychological addiction. He ends up delivering poor quality of work and disappointing results, he continues to work regardless of whether his work is necessary.

ALTERNATIVES
Music, art therapy, sports, and exercise programs lead patients to discover new activities and interests that will help them achieve a more successful and balanced life.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
Hard workers & Workaholic

HARD WORKERS
• Consider work as a required and pleasurable obligation.
• Set and manage clearly their family and friends priorities.
• Can’t wait for holidays and vaccation times.
• Wisely put a limit to work time unless there is an urgent matter.

WORKAHOLICS
• See work as a way to escape from the outside world.
• Work is their life’s first priority.
• Avoid having break time and panic when it comes to holidays & vacations.
• Work anytime and anywhere.

DIAGNOSIS
Addiction to work is classified as a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and it is also a behavioral addiction.
A workaholic is obsessed with the idea of work to the point of developing anxiety whenever he is not working.

There may be a misdiagnosis that leads to improper treatment, such as prescribing medication for the anxiety that work addiction causes, without providing treatment for the addiction itself.

TREATMENT
A work addict will always deny having a problem
Only addiction treatment that includes behavioral therapy can really bring about an end to work addiction.
The goal of workaholic therapy is to help a patient find balance in his life starting to deal with the root cause of the addiction and the patient's compulsive thoughts.
Cognitive and behavioral therapy are far more effective than any medication. Showing the patient that self-esteem is not based solely on work performance is the first therapy step.