Workaholism is a term denoting a person’s desire to work excessively, beyond the scope of natural industriousness . Expresses (by analogy with alcoholism ) the addictive aspect of this quality, that is, a painful psychological "labor dependence". People exhibiting this quality are called workaholics . This term ( eng. Workaholic) came into use [1] after the publication in the USA in 1971 of the book of W. Oates "Confession of a workaholic."
Workaholism is manifested in the perception of work as the only (or most significant) means of self-realization, achieving recognition and obtaining subjective satisfaction from life. For a workaholic, work is in the forefront in life, leaving behind everything else: personal life, family , entertainment, social activities, leisure. If earlier workaholism was looked at ironically (but generally approvingly) - the attitude was characterized by expressions such as: “that's who everyone else should take an example from”, “he (she) works hard, and will achieve a lot,” then in recent decades, psychologists have noted that workaholism is far from harmless and even dangerous to health.
- Workaholism is a sign of psychological distress: a person “hides behind work” because of the loss of the ability to fully communicate with others and to avoid his own unresolved (often psychological) problems.
- Workaholics with their immoderate desire for work themselves do not notice how they harm themselves and others. Excessive workload harms in a purely medical aspect: the result of this is chronic overwork, stress, and, as a result, mental and somatic diseases. In addition, social problems arising from the fact that a workaholic does not pay enough attention to “non-working” affairs and communicating with loved ones can strike not only him personally, but also others.
As a result, in some countries a treatment for workaholism is adopted on a rather wide scale, consisting, as a rule, in the social adaptation of workaholics, in teaching them how to communicate with people, in an attempt to instill in workaholics interests and hobbies that are not related to work.
Alternative studies show that there is an optimal level of workaholism for effective work and good health, which is achieved by providing the workaholic with access to additional resources, such as staff, leisure, equipment and social support [2] .
Content
Workaholism as a Psychological Addiction
Even if a person does not use drugs, alcohol or nicotine, he still tries to find a loophole for himself in the whirlpool of everyday life, through which he “escapes” for a while into a special, “alternative” state - be it a gamble, an “extreme”, a sect or a computer . There is even a psychological dependence on a person or on severe traumatic, which became obsessive, memories.
A person can become addicted if his mood, thoughts, behavior, and sense of comfort are strictly dependent on some external factor.
Work for a workaholic gradually turns into a kind of “shield” from fear, anxiety, insecurity in the future, troubles in his personal life. A person uses work as a means of escape from personal problems and difficulties.
But, having once received pleasure and euphoria after a job well done, such a person once begins to feel discomfort without having received such euphoria again and again. He begins to subconsciously search for the desired state, which, perhaps, will remain unattainable neither at home, nor among relatives, or anywhere else.
Workaholism can gradually lead to serious consequences: a person not only loses friends and relatives, but also health. Gradually, workaholism passes into moral and physical “burnout”. The phrase “burned out at work” is considered the collapse of professional activity and the extremely inept distribution of its resources.
Signs of Workaholism
- After hard work, it’s impossible for a workaholic to switch to another activity.
- Concern about work disturbs him during his rest.
- A workaholic believes that satisfaction can only be felt in work.
- A workaholic feels energetic, confident and self-sufficient only when working or thinking about work.
- If it does not work, then it feels dissatisfaction and irritation.
- Such a person is usually gloomy in life, unyielding, vulnerable, but sharply transformed for the better at work.
- Finishing any business, the workaholic is disappointed that soon "it will all end."
- He immediately begins to reflect on the next business and working day.
- A workaholic does not organically understand the meaning of relaxation and receiving joy from it.
- He panically avoids the state of "doing nothing."
- Lack of work for a workaholic is definitely idleness and laziness.
- After working in order to understand what relatives want, a workaholic needs to make an incredible effort on himself.
- Even at home, his thoughts are constantly focused on the object of work.
- Magazines, films, and entertainment programs annoy him (although he may hide it).
- Stories of friends about love affairs seem workaholic boring and empty.
- The words are characteristic of him: “all,” “always,” “I must.”
- Usually a workaholic sets himself goals that he cannot achieve, and makes himself exaggerated.
- Talking about his work, it is more convenient for him to say “we”, not “I”.
- Failure at work is perceived by him as a personal disaster.
See also
- Wage slavery
- Karoshi
- Urgent addiction