HEALTH NEWS
What causes workaholism? Is it a mental illness? What are the signs and symptons?
Stress incurred from overwork and the prevalence of ‘hustle’ culture on the internet has more and more people at the point of exhaustion.
Workaholism may not be a term everyone is aware of, though the feeling certainly will be. Coined as a term in 1971 by psychologist Wayne Oates as “the compulsion or the uncontrollable need to work incessantly”. Bascially, it means people who are working too much, maybe to the point of compulsion, while also not enjoying it.
Here are a few potential contributing factors:
- Individual factors: Some individuals may be more predisposed to workaholism due to personal traits such as perfectionism, competitiveness, or a strong desire for achievement. They may also use work as a way to cope with stress or feelings of inadequacy.
- Societal factors: Success is often measured by material wealth and professional accomplishments. This can create a societal pressure to work hard and achieve more, which may contribute to workaholism.
- Organisational factors: Certain work environments can encourage or even require employees to work long hours or prioritise work above all else. This may be due to factors such as tight deadlines, high workload, or a culture of overworking.
In the 21st century it is harder than ever to stay away from work. The abortive work-from-home revolution in 2020 has given way to the possibility for employers to always be right by the side of employees, through watches, phones, and technology. That extra moment, that extra minute, that extra hour to finish that job continues where once it was punch-out and be done with it.
There is measure called the Bergen Work Addiction Scale which is used to identify whether someone is suffering from workaholism. From 1 (never) to 5 (always), candidates are asked to match the number with a series of statements related to work addiction, such as, ‘You work so much that it has negatively impacted your health.’ According to the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, answering a majority of statements with a 4 or 5 is an indication of work addiction.
What are the signs and symptons?
While there are no singular determinations of work addiction, here are some actions associated with work addiction:
- excessive hours at work, when not neccesary
- too much work outside of agreed contract hours
- failure of personal relationships due to overwork
- losing sleep to finish tasks
As a psychosocial condition, meaning addictive substances are not involved, workaholism is easier to manage compared to a drug problem. While it is impossible to simply stop working, a better balance is needed. Some short time off work would be a good start to reformulate your relationship with it.