Workaholic: 7 Signs You Suffer From Work Addiction
Are you always working overtime? Do you believe that your work is equivalent to the success you have in life? Maybe you are a workaholic and suffer from work addiction. Find out.
Many people consider the hardest working people to be synonymous with success and prosperity in their lives. But, there is a difference between working long hours and having an uncontrolled need to work. A workaholic He suffers from a work addiction that prevents him from enjoying both his profession and his personal life.
The workaholics or workaholics They suffer from an uncontrollable need to work incessantly. This term was used for the first time in 1971 by psychologist Wayne Oates, who began to see compulsive behavior in some people around their professional tasks.
Despite a workaholic It is a pathology that is not recognized within the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders, the reality is that there are more and more cases in which work addiction causes its effects and havoc on people.
In these cases, the workaholic develops a complex condition in which there is a psychological, emotional and social dependence around the profession or job position. So much so that the person begins to forget everything that is not related to his or her work.
The obsession of workaholics It is such that they can do without their hours of sleep and their relationships in order to achieve more than ambitious objectives for their job.
Why is being a workaholic not synonymous with success?
Although there is a popular belief that those who work harder are more successful, the reality is completely the opposite. Various psychological studies have shown that those people who suffer from work addiction They are less productive than individuals who have a healthier attitude towards their profession.
Furthermore, according to research regarding the workaholics, this compulsion around work can wreak a lot of worrying havoc on our mental and physical health. In fact, in Japan the problem has become so widespread that a fifth of workers suffer from this work addiction.
A workaholic You are much more likely to suffer from mental problems such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and, of course, suffer from high exposure to stress.
Signs to detect a workaholic
In many cases the person who suffers from this work addiction condition You don’t usually see that you really have a problem. Therefore, it is vital to consult with a professional psychologist if he meets many of the following symptoms.
Obsessive thoughts: One of the first signs that you may be a workaholic is obsessive thoughts around work. This means thinking about your tasks in your free time or when you are spending time with your loved ones. When these thoughts around work prevent you from resting, you may be a ‘workalcoholic’
Spend more time at work: We have all worked an extra hour from time to time, but when this is repeated too many times and becomes a routine, this can be a clear warning sign that we are part of the workaholics
Use work as a source of your self-esteem: When you use your job as a source of having more or less self-esteem, this may indicate a work addiction problem. Many people have this false belief that their self-esteem depends in part on success or the job they have. This is a myth that we must work with so as not to develop a problem around work.
Work to reduce anxiety, depression or feelings of guilt: A person who uses their work to calm their anxiety or other feelings related to other mental pathologies is a clear case of workalcoholic In these cases, it is vital to consult a professional psychologist.
Relationship problems: When your personal relationships are influenced by overwork, it is very likely that you are suffering from a work addiction. Many workaholics They tend to put aside their emotional ties to carry out more tasks around their profession.
Health problems due to stress: People who suffer too much stress often end up suffering from different problems linked to their physical health due to this mental pathology. Stress causes a lot of havoc on a physical and mental level.
Develop ‘work tolerance’: At the moment that a workaholic gets used to a work rhythm, it usually requires more hours to compensate for its addiction. So much so that he reaches his physical limits and leaves everything else behind.
Most signs that identify a workaholic or a workaholic It usually shares many characteristics with other types of addictions. In the event that you see yourself recognized in many of these signs, it is vital to consult a mental health professional.
How to stop being a workaholic?
It is vital that the ‘workalcoholic’ or ‘workaholic’ Work deeply within yourself to leave this problem behind in your behavior. To do this, psychologists advise the following indications.
Establish a schedule and stick to it: The first step to leaving behind work addiction It is precisely by stopping working so much. To do this, it is vital to establish an acceptable and healthy schedule and adhere to it to the letter. Even though this is a difficult step, you must remember that there is a smarter and more productive way to work than putting in long hours. You must get rid of the idea that working harder means more success.
Schedule commitments after your work day: To get rid of this habit about a work addiction, it may be a good idea to establish social commitments to put aside your work day. Stay with the people closest to you to enjoy and relax.
Dedicate more time to yourself: One of the problems that people who are workaholics It is precisely that they do not spend enough time with themselves. For this reason, they try to face and forget their personal problems through work addiction.
On many occasions a workaholic He usually suffers from this addiction because he has other mental health problems that he does not know how to solve. Because of this, it is important that you consult a professional psychologist. You don’t live to work, your life goes far beyond your profession.
