Clinical psychologist Dr. Daria Salnikova points out the consequences of work addiction on mental and physical health. She explains, "A person becomes addicted when they achieve positive and good results in their work because they receive a certain dose of dopamine. Therefore, workaholics cannot live without it as they suffer mental and psychological pain when they are not working. They always need to be busy with work and cannot let it go; they do not know the taste of rest and cannot even sit in front of the TV with their families because they are constantly looking for work to get the dopamine that helps them move forward."
According to her, it is essential to distinguish between "the ability to work" and "work addiction," as the desire to work can be positive, while work addiction is a problem. She states, "In short, due to work addiction, social life problems begin—family and friendly connections break down, and a person cannot give their body the rest it needs because they are always and continuously in a state of physical and psychological stress. This is why various diseases, including depression, arise."
She adds that there are ways to overcome work addiction. First, the addicted person must acknowledge their suffering from this problem, and then they can gradually overcome it either independently or with the help of a specialist by allowing themselves at times not to do any work and not blaming themselves for it.
