Workaholism and its symptoms in individuals manifesting mental disorders: a clinical analysis based on a case study

Abstract

Workaholism is an exceptionally complex psychological phenomenon that has been widely described in the literature from numerous theoretical perspectives. The common assumption in describing psychological profiles of individuals characterised by the so-called workaholic attitude to work and life pertains to the presence of many various mental disorders manifested by a given person. These include depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, psychosomatic disorders and personality disorders. Persons who manifest different stages of inner compulsion are characterised by the absence of control and distance to increased professional activity. Over time, psychopathological symptoms become displayed in the psychological functioning of such individuals, which requires treatment. Moreover, a workaholic patient needs also medical, psychological or psychotherapeutic assistance. The aim of this article is to determine the significance of differential diagnoses of workaholics’ psychological profiles by means of examining clinical case reports to provide a broader and a more in-depth view on treatment and directions to be taken in psychological assistance. By presenting the theoretical grounds of workaholism, the authors focused primarily on presenting clinical aspects of an individual’s negative functioning (detrimental to his or her development and health) in the organisation and structure of a given work situation. Clinical cases reports pertaining to patients suffering from workaholism are not common in the literature. For this reason, the article aimed primarily at describing three psychological profiles of individuals who manifested workaholism with comorbid mental disorders.