"But my Boss loves me."

Everyone laughs when you say that you are a workaholic. It is, after all, the American way! Bosses love employees who come to work early and leave late, especially employees who never say no when they are asked to do something extra. Even if you are your own boss, your dedication to your work, your career, your success, is the primary focus of you life.

You know that your boss depends on you, and it makes you feel special. You are always looking for ways to excel, to do the extra thing that makes you stand out from the crowd. Working weekends, not ever taking a day off for illness; saving up your vacation days to use when you finally get everything under control at work.

Your spouse and family have complained. They say that your job is more important to you than they are, and they are hurt. Admittedly you've missed some of the kids ball games and school plays, but that doesn't make you a bad parent, does it? How do they think they get to have the life style you have provided for them if you don't work the way you do? Can't they just be grateful? Isn't your working a sign that you care about them?

Besides, when you are not at work you feel ill at ease, jittery, jumpy, nervous. You can't just sit still and waste time! Being alone with yourself is nearly impossible, unless you are at work, doing something that matters. You feel stressed, but all successful people feel stressed! And anyway, doesn't stress give you fuel to do more?

Being in control really matters to you

This obsession with work is second cousin to your perfectionism and the need for control. You hate to admit it, but you believe that no one else really can do the job as well as you can. You try to be modest, and when you do receive a compliment you shrug it off. "Just doing my job", you are apt to say. So what's wrong with this? How can we call it an addiction?

Knowing the truth, you are intoxicated.

You've never told this to anyone, maybe you haven't even admitted it to yourself You are scared to death! Scared that if you take a day off someone else will be at your desk when you come back. Scared that if you take a vacation they will discover that you are not as important as you think you are. Scared that someone will find out your secret; that basically you are an unworthy person. Scared that these feelings will swallow you whole. It's this sheer terror that drives you to work And the result of this terror is what produces the flood of brain chemicals that overloads your system and makes you intoxicated. Your over blown sense of self-importance is a result of your impaired thinking. Your impaired thinking comes from your intoxication. Your intoxication is a result of your constant anxiety triggered by your secret fear. It's a vicious circle and you are caught in the middle of it.

You can change your way of thinking.

There is help. Call us today at 1-800-754-1452 or send an email to RecoveryCentral@aol.com. The initial evaluation is free and absolutely confidential. You will speak with the best therapists available, people who know and understand this complex addiction. In the Spirit of Recovery we are here to help you get your life back. Why don't you call right now.

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