Addiction Addictive Behaviors How to Tell If You Are Addicted to Work By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada. Learn about our editorial process Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Reviewed by Reviewed by Rachel Goldman, PhD, FTOS on April 25, 2020 facebook twitter linkedin instagram Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in weight management and eating behaviors. Learn about our Review Board Rachel Goldman, PhD, FTOS on April 25, 2020 Print Hero Images/Getty Images As we are all affected by the shifting economy, many of us are working harder than ever before and feeling overworked as a result. Yet for some, the urge to work more and more goes deeper than simply needing to pay the bills—some are addicted to work. Work Addiction Work addiction, or workaholism, was first used to describe an uncontrollable need to work constantly. A workaholic is someone who suffers from this condition. Although a widely recognized and accepted concept in popular culture, and despite the existence of forty years of literature on the subject, work addiction is not a formally recognized medical condition or mental disorder in that it does not appear in the current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the DSM-V. One of the reasons for this lack of recognition of work addiction is that work—even excessive work—is typically thought of as a positive trait rather than a problem. Overwork is rewarded, both financially and culturally, and may lead to the worker being seen in a more positive light in different ways. However, work addiction can be a very real problem and can interfere with functioning and relationships, in similar ways to other addictions. The original reason the term "workaholic" was coined was to demonstrate the parallel between work addiction and alcoholism, and this is probably more accurate than the common perception that someone who works excessively is a responsible and ethical person. Problems Associated With Work Addiction Although excessive work is often well regarded and even rewarded, there are problems associated with work addiction. As with other addictions, work addiction is driven by compulsion, rather than by a healthy sense of fulfillment that is common among people who simply put a lot of effort and dedication into their job, or people who are deeply committed to their work as a vocation. In fact, people who fall prey to work addiction may be quite unhappy and distressed about work, they may be overly concerned about work, they may feel out of control of their desire to work, and they may spend so much time, energy, and effort on work that it impairs non-work relationships and activities outside of work. Signs and Symptoms Despite the difficulties in precisely defining work addiction, several signs of workaholism have been identified. They include: Increased busyness without an increase in productivityObsessively thinking about how you can free up more time for workSpending more time working than intendedExcessive use of work to maintain one's self-worthWorking to reduce feelings of guilt, depression, anxiety, or hopelessnessIgnoring suggestions or requests from others to cut down on workRelationship problems resulting from overwork or preoccupation with workHealth problems resulting from work-related stress and/or overworkUsing work as a way of coping with, escaping, or numbing feelingsDeveloping tolerance to work, so needing to work more to get the same effectsBecoming stressed if prevented from working or experiencing withdrawal if you are not workingRelapsing to overwork when you try and cut down or stop These signs and symptoms of work addiction share many characteristics with other addictions, particularly other behavioral addictions, in which the commitment to the activity or behavior becomes increasingly more important, and overshadows other important areas of life and relationships. If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. What If I Might Be Addicted to Work? If you think you may be addicted to work, try taking a break and see how you feel. If you are unable to switch off from thinking about work, and if you sense you are escaping into work to avoid other responsibilities or uncomfortable feelings, you may benefit from treatment from a mental health professional. Although you are unlikely to find a work addiction treatment program, many of the approaches used to treat other addictions can be used to help control a range of addictive behaviors. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Andreassen, C., Ursin, H., Eriksen, H. The Relationship Between Strong Motivation to Work, "Workaholism," and Health. Psychology and Health 22:615-629. 2007. Andreassen, CS., Griffiths, MD., Hetland, J., and Pallesen, S. Development of a Work Addiction Scale. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53:265-272. 2012. Bakker, A., Demerouti, E., and Burke, R. Workaholism and Relationship Quality: A Spillover-crossover Perspective. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology 14:23-33. 2009. Shifron, R. & Reysen, R. Workaholism: Addiction to Work. Journal of Individual Psychology 67:136-146. 2011. Wojdylo, K., Baumann, N., Buczny, J., Owens, G., Kuhl, J. Work Craving: A Conceptualization and Measurement. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 35:547-568. 2013.