Workaholics

Definitely, I don’t like workaholics.

I may like people who are workaholics, but it will be despite that, not because of that. It will always be a part of their personality that bothers me.

On top of that, I have had the misfortune of knowing a lot of them!

Many people (even non-workaholics) don’t really understand the concept, and they confuse “workaholic” with “responsible, hard-working person” - which are positive qualities. But they’re wrong. Being a workaholic is something irrational, unhealthy.

Some people also think that it’s just a case of someone loving what he does. But it’s not that - many workaholics spend most of they time depressed, stressed, and with health problems (both physical and mental). It’s a compulsion, an obsession.

What does being a workaholic tell about a person? In my opinion, one or more of the following:

Their priorities are all wrong. Everything is ignored, including family, spouse, etc..
They’re addicted to work. And I really mean addicted, like one can be to alcohol or hard drugs.
Uses work to escape from something in their lives that they want to forget, or not think about.
Allowed themselves to be manipulated by the employer (which shows naiveté and/or weakness of character); they convinced them that it is, effectively, their responsibility to do the work of 2 or 3 employees, which means nights at work, weekends at work, and so on.
No “life” of their own; at some time, they decided that it was easier, more comfortable and “safer” to hide in work and more work, than to have friends, relationships, hobbies, etc..
Inability to delegate work or to trust in co-workers: go on vacation?!? and who would do all of this, then??
Use of work to justify their lives, their existence. Which is foolish and abominable: nothing worthwhile needs to be justified.

How many people do you know like this? Sometimes it feels like I’m surrounded by them.