Hyper-involvement, endless hours, availability 7 days a week, inability to cut holidays… Addiction to work (or workaholism) can have deleterious consequences and lead to burn-out. Warning signs and ways out.
Boulomania, workaholism, ergomania… So many terms that refer to theaddiction to work. A behavioral addiction that manifests itself through a whole range of signs (hyper involvement, availability 7 days a week, impossibility to cut even on vacation, excessive demands, etc.) that may have harmful effects on physical and mental health And lead to burnout. “Work has a considerable share in satisfaction, identity journey and self-fulfillment when it is carried out within the limits necessary for the proper functioning of the psyche. On the other hand, when it becomes obsessive or the sole source of activitythat is problematic“, immediately alerts Dana Castro, psychologist.
What is work addiction?
Work addiction is a behavioral addiction. “Like all addictions (alcohol, drugs, video games…), it is defined by an imperative need to perform one’s job or just think about itcontextualizes Dana Castro. What makes the difference between “working a lot” and being addicted to work is the ability to be interested in other things. In other words, it is not necessarily problematic to work 12 hours a day if, once the day is over or on the weekend, we drop out and we have other interests, other landmarks and other resources in life“.
5 symptoms to recognize a work addiction
- The person finds it difficult to “cut” with his work. “She begins to leave work later, or arrive earlier, she brings work home, she reads and answers her emails on vacation… until she no longer makes a distinction between her personal life and her professional life.“, details our specialist. Addiction has no borders and does not stop at the office door.
- The person is bored when not working. “There is a narrowing of interests other than work and nothing seems more interesting than work“, summarizes Dana Castro.
- The person thinks they are irreplaceable and that no one can do her job as well as her. “It’s a self-persuasive argument that backs it up.“, she continues.
- There is also a notion of lack : when not working, the person is irritable, tense or upset.
- The person panics at the idea of one day losing his job and experiences in anticipation an unfounded and irrational “emptiness” linked to inaction. “For example, I have seen patients who, close to retirement, go into a work frenzy, for fear of being useless when they stop working.“, remembers the psychologist.
What is the name of work addiction?
Work addiction is called “workaholism”, in reference to the word “alcoholism” preceded by the prefix “work” which means “work” in English. This term was first seen in 1971 in the writings of Wayne Edwards Oates, an American psychologist. In French, the term is sometimes translated as “boulomania” Or “ergomania”.
What causes work addiction?
There would be three main causes which can explain an addiction to work:
► The adrenalitic cause. “For people who truly love their work, it gives them a form adrenalineessential to personal satisfaction and fulfillment. This adrenaline also brings a great narcissistic gratification. In other words, work creates well-being. And the more well-being we feel, the more we seek it, especially through challenges, surpassing ourselves, taking on greater and greater responsibility…“, explains our psychologist.
► The compensatory cause. Other people invest a lot in their work to avoid other areas of conflict in their lives (family, love…). Work appears as an escape and a means of compensating for what is wrong.
► The need for success. “The work gives social status and visibility which can be extremely important for some people“, continues the specialist. In our contemporary society, and even more in France, work is an integral part of a person’s identity and can be a guarantee, for some people, of success or success. For example, when we meets someone, one of the first questions you ask is “what job do you do?”
What are the consequences of work addiction?
In terms of performance and results, this over-investment in work can initially be seen as positive. However, in the more or less long term, we run out of steam for lack of recovery, stepping back, discernment or even break time. In other words, work addiction follows a classic pattern of addiction and can lead to deleterious consequences observable in all spheres of his life (personal, family, friends, health, etc.):
- Withdrawal or isolation
- Neglect of relationships
- Disinterest in anything unrelated to work
- Hyperactivity
- Increased stress
- Sleep disorders (insomnia, etc.)
- High blood pressure
- Burnout or burnout in extreme forms.
Is there a test to know if you are addicted to work?
No, there is no official test to detect work addiction. These are signs that gradually set in that will allow you to know if a person is addicted to work. The surroundings also an alert role.
What solutions to get out of a work addiction?
► “Forcing” yourself to get a job, starting by not bringing work home and setting deadlines. Of course, it’s more complicated when you telework, hence the importance of having a space dedicated to work so that it does not encroach on your personal life. “In addition, with access to emails from your mobile phone, it takes a lot of discipline and willpower to resist the temptation to work. Above all, we must keep in mind that the human being is not infallible and can “slip”. The idea is simply to strive for a better professional/personal balance“.
► Maintain links with those around you to find a work-life balance. Going out, seeing friends, going to the cinema, playing sports… All of this contributes to the balance and development of a person.
► Consult a healthcare professional to treat addiction. “But generally, this stage comes too late or when there have been serious consequences: the family has broken down, health has deteriorated… However, if the person consulted before reaching this stage, they would gain to rebalance his life and could avoid all the consequences mentioned above“, concludes our expert.
Thanks to Dana Castro, psychologist.