Do you ever find yourself spending sleepless nights studying, obsessing over post-college plans, or find yourself equating your self-worth with your academic success? This could be a sign of workaholism.

Workaholism is a prevalent challenge that many people face in 21st century America. The term “workaholism” derives from alcoholism due to its persistent and addictive nature. Coined in 1917 by psychologist and religious educator Wayne E. Oates in his book “Confessions of a Workaholic: The Facts about Work Addiction,” workaholism is defined as the compulsion to work excessively hard and long hours.

Two components of workaholism include behavioral traits and psychological traits. While behavioral traits often exhibit themselves through the action of working long hours per day, psychological traits are expressed by the inability to psychologically detach oneself from work. Although workaholics are positively perceived to be individuals whose high performance prompts career satisfaction, workaholism largely encompasses a multitude of negative consequences, such as work-life conflict and burnout. As society glorifies overworking in order to achieve success, workaholism can affect the lives of thousands of people worldwide.