Althoughthewordworkaholic(工作狂)usuallyhasanegativemeaning,itsisometimesusedbypeoplewishingtoexpresstheirdevotiontotheircareerpositively.The“work”isquestionisusuallyassociatedwithapayingjob,butitmayalsorefertoindependentpursuitssuchassports,musicandart.Aworkaholicinthenegativesenseispopularlycharacterizedbyaneglectoffamilyandothersocialrelations.Similarly,peopleconsideredtoeworkaholicstendtolosetrackoftime.

　　Workaholismisanaddiction,andit’snotthesameasworkinghard.Expertssaythecontinuouswork-relatedactivitymarksanxiety,lowself-esteem,andprivacyproblemsworkaholicsfeeltheurgeofbeingbusyallthetime,tothepointthattheyoftenperformtasksthataren’trequiredofnecessaryforprojectcompletion.Asaresult,theytendtobeinefficientworkers,sincetheyfocusonbeingbusy,insteadoffocusingonbeingproductive.Inaddition,workaholicstendtobelesseffectivethanotherworkersbecauseit’sdifficultforthemtoworkaspartofateam,theyhavetroubleentrustingco-workers,ortheytakeonsomuchthattheyaren’tasorganizedasothers.Workaholicsareoccupiedwithworkallthetime,whichpreventsthemfrommaintaininghealthyrelationships,hobbiesoreventakemeasurestoprotecttheirhealth.

　　Aswithadditionstoalcohol,drugsorgambling,workaholics’harmfulbehaviorwillcontinuedespiteadvicefromlovedonesordangersingssuchasworseningrelationships.Poorhealthisanotherwarningsigh.Becausethere’slessofsocialshameattachedtoworkaholismthantootheraddicions,healthsymptomscaneasilytobeunrecognized.IntheUSandCanada,workaholisminJapaninsconsideredasserioussocialproblemleadingtoearlydeath,oftenonthejob,aphenomenoncalledkaroshi(过劳死).

　　Aswithotherpsychologicaladdictions,workaholicsoftencannotseethattheyhaveaproblem.Reasoningtheworkaholicoutoftheproblemwillgenerallybemetwithdenial.Co-workers,familymembersandfriendsmayneedtocommunicatetheeffectsoftheworkaholic’sbehaviourtothem.Indeed,mentaltreatementtocureaworkaholiccansuccessfullyreducethehoursspentonthejob,whileincreasingtheperson’sproductivity.Studiesshowthatfullyrecoveredformerworkaholicscanaccomplishin50hourswhattheypreviouslycouldn’tdoin80.