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WORK WITHOUT WEEKENDS

Workaholism is an addiction. PRINCE FREDERICK on the costs of being consumed by work

PSYCHIATRISTS, RELATIONSHIP consultants, stress management gurus and suicide prevention professionals in the city have some disturbing news to share. More and more professionals in the city are following one wrong example set by Silicon Valley — "letting work consume one's weekends." Silicon Valley, described unflatteringly as Workaholia and Burnout Central, abounds with professionals who love to "chain themselves to their desks." The latest joke from Workaholia, oops!, Silicon Valley, is that the Workaholics Anonymous units there are not functioning as well as they should since members have once again become too busy with meetings.

Social problem

But, if experts are correct, the Silicon Valley work culture is catching at home. "Workplaces in the city have never been busier; you find a crowd seeking the psychiatrist's or the general practitioner's help in ridding them of the symptoms of workaholism. Most of these help-seekers do not see themselves as workaholics; they just complain of alienation from family members, failed relationships, insomnia or aches in the body," says Dr. Rangarajan, consultant psychiatrist, Malar Hospitals.

A workaholic does not suffer in isolation; those dear to him also suffer with him — Dr. Rangarajan, consultant psychiatrist, Malar Hospitals

"What makes workaholism a social problem is that the workaholic does not suffer in isolation; those dear and close to him also suffer with him."

Sudhakar Simeon, director of Jeevan Suicide Prevention Centre, says women often come on the helpline and speak of their husbands neglecting themselves and their children. "These days, we receive frequent calls from women who are distressed by husbands who have time only for their work. Sometimes, they speak in anguish about husbands who are victims of a deadly combination — workaholism and alcoholism."

"We function in various domains — work, family and so on. When work assumes an overly exaggerated importance, it tends to fit into the other domains. When it eats into the marriage domain, the couple are divorced from each other in all respects, even if they have not gone for a legal divorce. When one or both parents are always absent, the child is denied the advantage of having a role model at home. Also, he will take this neglect to heart," says Dr. Vijay Nagaswami, psychotherapist and relationships consultant.

Pradeepa Hari, a television compere, was juggling a fulltime job with her television programmes, until she realised that she was not doing justice to either. Moreover, friends had stopped calling her for she had little time for them. She knew what to do. She gave up her fulltime job; and every time the phone rings with a call from an old friend, she is happy she did that.

Why are some people refusing to put work in its proper place, even after it has robbed them of their health and relationships?

Honourable addiction

"Unlike alcoholism or any other substance abuse, workaholism is a honourable addiction," say these experts. A workaholic is seldom seen as a person suffering from a disease. On the contrary, he is represented in glowing terms — "he/she is a work horse", "he/she works like a drag car engine" or "he/she is really driven".

Life beyond cubicles

"Truth be told, nobody likes work for itself, for the very term denotes subjugation. Work acquires an irresistible sheen when it becomes a means to attractive things, one of which is recognition," says Stanley Pokish, Chief Consultant, Adventure n Nature — Skills India, an organisation that attends to requests from corporate houses to get their workhorses outdoors so that "they realise that there is a world and a life beyond their cubicles." Adds Pokish, "We introduce them to a series of outdoor activities such as canoeing, parasailing and trekking."

Although breaks from work do blow the cobwebs away and are rejuvenating, psychotherapists and psychiatrists say nothing works like prioritising work.

A workaholic is made to understand that his work is not what it pretends to be _ the most importantthing in his life

"When dealing with workaholics, a psychotherapist tries to change their relationship with work. Workaholics are made to realise that their work is not what it pretends to be — the most important element in life," says Nagaswami.

However, only some people seem to understand and deal with this on their own — that is before the situation forces them to seek professional help.

YOU ARE A WORKAHOLIC...