Work addiction How to identify if you are an addict

It is estimated that more than 20% of the world's working population has work addiction. In Spain the figure is around 10%.

Traditionally, the word "addiction" has been spoken of, linking it for the most part with the repeated consumption of one or more psychoactive substances, to the point that the consumer (addict) becomes intoxicated periodically or continuously, shows a compulsive desire to use the substance (or substances), has enormous difficulty in voluntarily stopping or modifying substance use and is determined to obtain psychoactive substances by any means. (WHO, 1994).

But substances are not the only area in which we can speak of addiction, since according to the World Health Organization itself, addiction is “a physical and psycho-emotional disease that creates a dependency or need towards a substance, activity or relationship. "

We therefore see that the spectrum of possible addictions is wide and encompasses not only a biological or chemical conception, but also behaviors and (psychological) affects.

In relation to this, in the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5, the disorder called "Pathological gambling", or pathological gambling, is now considered an impulse control disorder, to be included in the chapter "Substance-related disorders and addictive disorders", as there is evidence that this behavior activates the reward systems in a similar way to drugs of abuse, and also produces behavioral symptoms similar to those of substance use disorders.

Although there is not yet enough data available to support its formal inclusion, the work addiction It is nevertheless a reality, which causes numerous problems in the lives of those who suffer from it..

Work addiction was first described in 1968, when an American religion professor, Oates, used it to refer to his own work. He himself created the term "workaholism", thus linking it to alcoholism and drug addiction, and defined it as an excessive and uncontrollable need to work incessantly, which affects the health, happiness and relationships of the person.

The two fundamental characteristics that we must take into account for the detection and assessment of work addiction are the following:

• It occurs when the activity becomes an obsessive idea, occupying most of the worker's life.
• It is usually not recognized by the worker, it is usually the family who detects it, due to the excess time that work takes away from the family, and that ends up leaving the addict.

This topic has been studied from two psychological disciplines.

From clinical psychology, focusing on the study of dispositional variables and personality patterns, a close relationship has been found between work addiction and type A behavior pattern, combining the following features:

• Little appreciation or distortion of the achievements, results or ideas of others.
• Expression in self-referential terms
• Arrogant claims.
• Over-involvement and over-commitment to the organization that they are part of.

There is no unique personality of the person addicted to work, but they do tend to have some common personality traits such as need for social recognition of their work and / or power, high perfectionism and low self-esteem, great individuality and narcissism.

On the other hand, from the psychology of organizations, the research has focused on the consequences that the state of addiction of workers can cause in their work and social performance. Likewise, it analyzes the influence, formation and expansion of the current types of organizational culture and its nexus with the problem, since the incidence is increasing.

Among the risk factors that we find influence the development of addiction to work we find: the male sex (although in recent years it is spreading among women); being between 35 and 50 years old, liberal professionals and middle managers, fear of losing a job, economic pressure, inability to set priorities, low self-esteem, a problematic family environment, lack of affection or satisfactory social relationships and an educational style conservative.

Regarding the work environment itself, the assertiveness problems in terms of refusing requests from the bosses, the great competitiveness that exists in the labor market, the lack of organization and the excessive demands influence.

Work addiction is characterized by an extreme work attitude (they work after hours, weekends or on vacation), by excessive dedication of time (there is a loss of control over the time spent at work), by compulsion and effort at work, disinterest in other activities outside of work, disproportionate work involvement, and deterioration in daily life (family and social).

The symptoms of the person addicted to work can be grouped into the three major response systems:

• Cognitive: anxiety and irritability, sadness, increasing need to work more and spend more time at work, persistent work performance concerns, suicide attempts.
• Physiological: stress, insomnia, headaches, muscle tension, sexual dysfunctions ... In the long term these symptoms can lead to psychophysiological disorders such as hypertension, gastric diseases, cardiovascular accidents and promote substance use.
• Behavioral and interpersonal: an inordinate need to carry out many tasks appears, spending all their time on work-related issues and with their consequent degradation of social and family relationships.

It is difficult for a person who is addicted to something to seek treatment, since on the one hand they tend to deny the problem and on the other, not consuming it causes great physical, psychological and emotional discomfort (withdrawal syndrome).

Regarding work addiction, the complication is even greater since, in today's society, the fact of being a worker is considered a virtue. One particularity of work addiction that sets it apart from other addictions is that people are praised and rewarded for overworking, this almost never happens with other addictions.

Due to the rise of this symptomatology and the profile of addictive behavior in the workplace, it is important to promote awareness of the issue in society and especially in companies, as well as to emphasize the importance of prevention to develop alternative and functional responses before the full picture is established.