Workaholism

In today's world, addictive behaviors are increasingly becoming a problem. Work addiction is one of these addictive behaviors that arise due to the highly competitive environment in some companies. Are you a workaholic?

In the culture, which we are immersed in today, it is very common for an individual to develop some addictive behaviors throughout life. This is because the nature of human beings is to flee from sensations of pain and seek to repeat pleasurable sensations. No one wants to suffer, and our brain seeks what provides us with some rewarding stimulus. When we lose rational control over how we obtain those stimuli, we encounter addictions.

In companies, the highly competitive environment can generate fear among employees. Those who do not feel secure activate behavioral patterns to fill that insecurity, seeking to gain merit among bosses and colleagues. The reality is that working more hours does not necessarily make you a more productive and creative person. And without the ability to relax or engage in other activities, obsession with work can become destructive.

Signs that we may have a work addiction:

Can you stop thinking about work?

A clear sign that we are workaholics is when we cannot stop thinking about it. All the conversations you have are about your professional work, and you only enjoy talking about work. After getting home, you keep going over work problems again and again. If there is this inability to disconnect and relieve stress, we may be experiencing a work addiction.

Our subconscious hates change; just suggesting it could start a conflict of interests within us. Therefore, one of the defense mechanisms it uses is to keep the problem hidden. Not taking personal responsibility for addressing the problem is a way of avoiding conflict. We often do not admit that there is a problem at first, as this way we do not have to look for a solution to something that simply isn't true.

Becoming fully aware of the problem, our responsibility, and its consequences is the first step to solving it.

Can you refuse any work?

How long have you been postponing family vacations? Or skipping important activities in the lives of your loved ones? Even though our hands are full and our calendars are completely booked, we cannot refuse work proposals. And we also do not know how to delegate because we have to do everything on our own. These are common signs of work addiction, especially the need to do and supervise every step of the process.

This is another strategy to evade responsibility. If I do not have time to stop and think, I will continue on the same path. The deterioration of interpersonal relationships, the inability to experience well-being, not exercising, and not being able to rest fully will be the consequences of this type of behavior. And they will further drive us into our work addiction as the only possible path.

Do you not have time?

We all have the same amount of time each day. How we use it and the activities we prioritize are a personal choice. Workaholics make the choice every day to prioritize work over any other activity. And by not dedicating a part of their time to loved ones and accepting more responsibilities, they have less time left to enjoy life.

Consequences of work addiction

People who suffer from work addiction can experience depression, anxiety, stress, problems in interpersonal relationships, and isolation from society.

These are very serious problems. It seems we are talking about an addiction to a substance or drug. This is because all addictions have similar consequences. One of the first negative effects is that the addict notices the loss of control over the activity. There is an intense desire to engage in the act that causes pleasure. Withdrawal syndrome manifests as irritability and discomfort when unable to engage in the behavior.

There will also be a need to increase the frequency of the activity to achieve the same initial pleasurable effect. The negative consequences are usually noticed by close people, but as a defense mechanism, the addicted person denies the problem.

Treatment for work addiction

There are many treatments available when addressing an addiction problem like this. The first step must be, and this applies to any type of addiction, to recognize it. People do not receive help unless they decide to change. And for this, they must become fully aware that they have a problem, which is not a problem that all human beings suffer from, and it is a personal experience. And that it is possible to change.

We must seek professional help to help us understand ourselves better and overcome our addiction. But also to help us understand why we have fallen into it. And thus avoid repeating this type of behavior. Detecting them as soon as they start to arise will help us address them quickly and prevent falling back into them.

What does it mean to be aware?

Being aware is a choice in how we decide to live our lives. A conscious review of why we make certain decisions.
If I am aware that I suffer from a work addiction, I no longer deny it. Then I take responsibility for the problem and can choose what to do about it. The opposite, or being unaware, would be to deny the existence of this problem and use any defense mechanism to continue hiding it. When we finally accept it as a behavior that brings us negative consequences, we can start to modify it. Without being fully aware of what I am doing, I cannot modify it. Nor can I seek help to overcome it.

Mindfulness

One of the trendy therapies that can help overcome any type of addiction is mindfulness and meditation. Mindfulness does not have a literal translation into Spanish. It means full mind; it can be translated as being fully present. It is based on performing daily activities while being fully present with body and mind. That is, if I am washing the dishes, my mind and body are washing the dishes. Without allowing the mind to wander into fantasies. I simply breathe deeply at a calm pace and focus on the task I am performing.

Mindfulness also includes not judging the moment and accepting it as it is. Accepting things as they present themselves at this moment. This may sound conformist. But it does not mean that I like this reality; rather, I accept that the conditions of my life are now these, I accept them, and I am willing to transform them. Not judging is a very powerful exercise to break free from addictions. It allows you to step out of the routine of over-judging yourself and feeling bad about how you perceive yourself.

Meditation

Meditation is another activity that can help us a lot and is also closely related to mindfulness. Meditating for even just 5 minutes a day will allow you to obtain the necessary relaxation to change your life and finally break free from addictions. When we put sand in a glass and stir it, all we see is brown water, water mixed with sand. But if we let the material settle for a few hours, the water will become clear. This is how the mind works; meditation will allow you to see clearly.