We live in an increasingly globalised world that puts achievement first. From higher education to career and business success, the current culture prizes “winning” at everything we do.
For some, this push to succeed is healthy, but for others, this never-ending message can lead to work addiction or workaholism.
Having motivation and pursuing your ambitions and goals is a natural drive to have. After all, ambitions and goals are productive in life. But the persistent drive to work harder and harder comes with a cost and many negative repercussions.
When most people think of compulsions or addictions, they are picturing alcoholism, drug use, substance abuse and more. But workaholism is also a serious compulsion that causes health and relationship issues. Just like other addictions, if left untreated, it can lead to chronic stress, anxiety, depression, isolation, low self-esteem and hopelessness.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) defines workaholism as a negative consequential addiction that “involves excessive time spent working, preoccupation with work to the exclusion of other life domains, loss of control over the parameters of one’s work and disenchantment with work, and negative social, emotional, and health consequences.” Their findings also reported that workaholism leads to other addictions.
For example, this study also found that both men and women who worked 50 hours or more had more than 3.3 times the rate of drug and alcohol problems than those working “normal hours” or not working at all. Another study from American Addiction Centers suggested that “workers who log over 48 hours of work every week have an 11% greater chance of engaging in risky drinking than workers who perform the standard 40 hours of work a week.”
The evidence is clear—longer work hours correlate to the deterioration of workplace performance due to greater and more frequent alcohol use and a higher rate of alcohol abuse.
Why does workaholism increase the risk of people developing a substance abuse problem? Could workplaces better support their workers and change the message that longer hours equal better employees? There are surefire signs of work addiction and substance abuse, so it’s important to understand them and be on the lookout for the risks.
Risk signs of workaholism and addiction
Long work hours
Working long hours or more hours than you intended to (or are being paid to work) is the most obvious sign of workaholism. Those gripped by workaholism often doubt the quality of their work and feel like there’s never enough time to get all of the work done.
Depending on the work contract and employee protections, they might have valid fears that if they don’t work more hours and are known as the “last one to leave”, they could lose their position to a harder worker. For those who are self-employed, they could find themselves relentlessly working, worried about taking a day off for fear that they could lose business.
Due to the stress of keeping long hours, work addicts may find themselves turning to drugs and alcohol to “take off the edge of the relentless stress” or using it as a way to push the fatigue aside and power through it. Many work addicts turn to drugs to try and complete work projects on tight deadlines. It’s no secret the best cocaine is found through the contacts of Wall Street bankers.
While risky drug and alcohol use is most commonly found in high-income countries where the workforce is expected to put in long hours as a show of loyalty to the company and secure their position in the hierarchy, these habits can be formed as early as the teen years with students studying through the night to make deadlines and earn top scores.
It’s easy to see how the intense pressure can lead to turning to alcohol and drug use to numb the discomfort and relieve pressure. While substances might temporarily make it feel like you can better cope with the situation, it only makes matters worse over time.
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Never letting go of control
Workaholics have a hard time letting go of control and often find it difficult or nearly impossible to delegate any work or ask for help. This comes from not trusting that anyone else can get it done or do it as well as they can.
Many workaholics keep themselves running high with endless cups of coffee, packets of cigarettes and the natural adrenaline that comes with control and never taking a break. But when the to-do list never ends, and the pressure keeps climbing, there’s a tipping point where other substances and addictions take over.
Always “on”
Do you take all of your allocated vacation days? If you do go on holiday, do you lug your laptop and work phone with you just to “check in”? Are you guilty of taking work home or working on your days off? Are you taking work calls or answering texts during family dinners?
If so, you’re probably also the type of person who never takes a work break, orders your lunch to be delivered and eats it at your desk whilst…continuing to work. If you’re nodding your head to all or even some of this, there’s a good chance you’re a work addict. Always being “on” is not sustainable and can push people to problematic substance use.
Everyone needs a break—daily, weekly and annually—to switch “off” from work duties. Work really can wait—especially on holiday when you need some rest and relaxation the most.
Unable to communicate about work pressure
Workaholics might feel threatened or feel weak to admit the pressure they are under. Similar to any other kind of addiction, work addicts with substance abuse issues also find it difficult to express their feelings or convey how much stress they are under.
It’s easy to lose touch with your emotions when alcohol and drugs are numbing and altering your personality. All of your feelings, from affection and anger to concern and empathy, are suppressed when you’re experiencing addiction.
The pressure and stress of work can cause many hard-working people to turn to alcohol and drugs as a way to unwind and decompress. If you identify with any of these risk signs and always feel like you need to constantly work and rush to get things done, you might be caught in a cycle of workaholism and addiction.
Workaholism and addiction in the workplace
Many workaholics are seen as hard-working individuals, even model employees: they are the first in the office and the last to leave. Everyone always sees them at their desk or in their office. If anyone needs a volunteer or an extra hand, they are the first to offer assistance. They are never sick; if they are, they come to work anyway because they are loyal and “hard-working.”
Healthy workplaces understand that overworked employees don’t add any benefit personally or professionally. Good employers will provide and enforce clear policies concerning holiday time off, overtime, breaks and guidelines for a work/life balance. Having a supportive workplace culture that encourages employees to get help with drug and alcohol issues can help workaholism and the associated addiction.
How White River Manor can help
If you’ve recognised yourself in any of the signs of workaholism and addiction—you’re not alone. The workplace can be a professionally fulfilling place, but it can also be a toxic environment, leading to burnout and addiction.
At White River Manor, we understand the link between workaholism and addiction and how to help people stop using drugs or alcohol. Our specialised team understands that recovery is much more than simply abstaining from a substance—it’s about rebuilding a new life. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, we can help.
Contact us today to see how we can help you on the road to recovery.
About Gert Janse Van Rensburg
Gert Janse van Rensburg is a Clinical Psychologist and Equine Therapist at White River Manor. With over two decades of experience, Gert helps oversee most of the clients, bringing deep knowledge and a calming presence to addiction recovery.
