Jonathan Wilhoite Blog: Too Much Time At Work: Common Disorders In Workaholics

Friday, May 27, 2016

Too Much Time At Work: Common Disorders In Workaholics

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A recent study showed that most of the common disorders in workaholics are associated with behavioural conditions ranging from anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder when compared to non workaholics.

To make matters worse, people spending more than 45 hours a week also increases the risk of developing obesity, diabetes and even heart problems, thus not only opens the door for a slew negative health conditions but also adversely affects quality of life.

Recent statistics paint a picture that workaholism is starting to become a common occurrence in the American workplace as current working conditions, long hours and increasing job demands have affected no less than 10 percent of the current workforce.

In a study recently published by the medical journal PLOS One, researchers from the Department of Psychological Science at the University of Bergen in Norway, simply pointed out that workaholism is ‘being overly concerns about work, driven by an uncontrollable work motivation, and to investing so much time and effort to work that it impairs other important life areas.

Study author Cecile Schou Andreassen and her team said that they have seen mounting evidence that link workaholism and psychiatric disorders by analyzing data from 16,436 working adults with an average age of 37 years by using what is called a Bergen Work Addiction Scale.

The participants were also subjected to psychiatric evaluations where they showed symptoms of psychiatric disorders.

Almost 33 percent of workaholics met the ADHD criteria against 12.7 percent of non workaholics, while 25.6 percent met the OCD criteria and onblyh 8,7 percent of non workaholics.

Workaholics also made up 33.8 percent of those with symptoms of anxiety and 8.9 percent with depression, compared to their non-workaholic counterparts of 11.9 percent and 2.9 percent respectively.

The study also showed that prevalence of these conditions were high among those in leadership and managerial positions, particularly those in the private sector, as well as those who are self-employed.

A large majority of those categorized as workaholics are young, single and highly-educated that also belong to a higher socioeconomic status.

In another study conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center, pointed out that there are likely combination of factors with working extended hours and linking it with heart problems.

Study author Sadie Conway pointed out that this lethal combination not limited to stress, mental pressure and lack of rest can definitely put the hear in danger.

Dr. John Higgins, a sports cardiologist, supported this idea as he pointed out that job-related stress takes its toll on the body by raising high levels of cortisol and adrenaline that increases blood pressure and cholesterol in the body.

“Long-term elevated cortisol levels are often associated with increased risks of heart, attack, strokes and heart failure,” Dr. Higgins added.

There’s also a large propensity for developing a bad lifestyle habit that is closely associated with extended hours at work.

Spending less time to focus on preparing healthy meals at home often ends up in grabbing fast food when needing to spend more time at work or time lost for working out in the gym.

Longer work hours mean shorter time for rest and recovery, especially having good and quality sleep that is essential for the human body to properly function and triggering the immune system to ward off sickness and diseases.

Then it all goes downhill from there, according to Dr. Higgins, as sleep deprivation is scientifically associated to cardiovascular risk factors like high blood pressure, weight gain, diabetes and unhealthy eating habits.

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