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A work addiction is actually a manifestation of any number of underlying emotional and psychological issues, including:
Approval-seeking
The workaholic’s identity is in his work; it justifies his existence and is a means of gaining approval from others.
Low self-esteem
Overly concerned with image, workaholics believe that overworking earns them admiration.
Control issues
Work addicts work to cope with life’s uncertainties and try to gain a measure of control over the otherwise uncontrollable
Authority issues
Work addicts are prone to succumbing to figures of authority in a search for approval, even if it means surrendering or lowering themselves.
Perfectionism
Work addicts are perfectionists who tend to make unreasonable demands upon themselves. They may or may not extend this expectation to those around them, both at work and in their personal relationships.
Escapism
Work addicts also use work as a means of escaping having to deal with real-world emotions and feelings.
Preoccupation with work
Like clinical addicts, workaholics overwork and, when not at work, obsess about it, to the point that their lives become out of balance, negatively affecting their own health as well as their relationships.
Lying
They may begin to lie, to themselves and others, about their work habits. They also may lie about past successes and failures, exaggerating the former and minimizing or falsifying the latter.
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