14 DAY TRIAL // Over the past years, the number of addictions identified in the general population has increased markedly, as people find things they excel at a lot easier than before. A number of conditions need to be met before someone is labeled as an addict, and not only chemicals and drugs can cause addiction. In a recent investigation, a group of researchers from Spain managed to develop a new scale, or means of quantifying, for work addiction, which is one of the newest additions to the list. Measuring the degree of the condition, as well as its effects, is fundamental for the development of relevant therapies.
While employers may argue against this, there is such a thing as work addiction. In the background information they supplied for their study, the investigators mention that an estimated 8 percent of all employed people in the country tend to spend at least 12 hours each day doing stuff for work. Some may do it because they are lagging behind at the office, and need to catch-up, while others may find it easier to work from the comfort of their own homes. But psychologists say that a subgroup of these individuals simply cannot separate themselves from what they do, to the extent needed so that they can actually have a life besides work.
“Addiction to work is a kind of psychosocial problem that is characterized by two primary features – working excessively and working compulsively. People are only workaholics if, on top of working excessively, they work compulsively in order to reduce anxiety and the feelings of guilt that they get when they're not working. This study helps to evaluate addiction along with other phenomena that affect the psychosocial health of workers, without the time taken to fill in the questionnaire having any impact on their motivation,” explains of the new study the lead author of the paper, Mario Del Líbano.
Details of the work are published in the latest issue of the Spanish journal Psicothema, LiveScience reports. The researchers say that another means of figuring out whether a person is an addict or not is by gaging the amount of time they spend working each week. If they do so in excess of 50 hours, then this could be a clear indicator that they are addicted to their work. It is the role of the new measurement technique, called DUWAS (Dutch Work Addiction Scale), to pinpoint the individuals that are at risk of experiencing this condition, and leading healthcare experts to take appropriate action.