For the workaholic, staying busy is their addiction. There is always more work to be done. The need to keep working goes beyond simple financial need. Instead, work becomes a way of avoiding other aspects of life such as family, romance, and physical and emotional health.

Workaholics will never really be done with work. They bring the office home with them. If they go on a vacation, they will make sure they have internet and cell phone access at all times. In that sense, they don't really go on vacation. Business always comes first. Some workaholics will even find an excuse to work on the weekend, even when there is no real need for it.

Workaholism itself is not a specific disorder. Instead, it is the manifestation of other disorders such as anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and similar mood disorders. Working hard is not a disorder in itself, but when a compulsive need to stay busy inhibits other aspects of your life, it is a sign of a psychological problem.

To be a workaholic, you don't necessarily need to be addicted to your career, either. Workaholics may just as easily feel a compulsive need to read a book, check their email, and continually stay busy. If a workaholic doesn't feel like they are getting something done, they feel very uncomfortable.

It's important to realize that being stressed about work or being highly motivated doesn't necessarily mean you are a workaholic. It’s when it takes priority over your relationships and your personal health that it becomes a genuine problem. Workaholics wish that they were at work during times when other people would be enjoying themselves. It's all about work for work's sake.

To understand just how serious the problem can become, some people will try to hide the fact that they are working in the same way that alcoholics will try to sneak alcohol when nobody is looking.

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