For individuals grappling with work addiction or problematic work-related behaviours, Clinic Les Alpes provides a luxury work addiction rehab in Switzerland committed to addressing and treating this pervasive issue. Work addiction can be as consuming and impactful as addictions often considered more 'dangerous,' such as alcoholism or gambling.
Seeking professional support is imperative for those struggling with this addiction to improve the chances of sustained long-term recovery. Clinic Les Alpes, a Swiss luxury rehabilitation centre, stands ready to assist you and your loved ones in overcoming work addiction with professionalism, care, and unwavering dedication.
Most mental health professionals consider it impossible to recover from work addiction whilst continuing to work. However simply “going home” is not a solution either, as work addicts will often find ways to keep working, or invent work for themselves. This is why getting away from your familiar settings and attending an inpatient facility, where all your needs can be attended to in comfort and luxury, is such a meaningful solution.
Clinic Les Alpes offers not only a break from the pressures of your working life, but also world-class and impactful therapeutic treatments to support you in experiencing a better quality of life. Nestled in the Swiss mountains overlooking Lake Geneva, you are empowered to take the first steps in your recovery in an isolated and completely confidential centre that puts patients first. Rest, recover, and return as a more balanced and healthy person.
Work addiction is a term commonly used in the mental health and addictions field to describe excessive or compulsive work habits that may have negative consequences on an individual's well-being. It is important to acknowledge that most international diagnostic manuals, such as the DSM-V or the ICD-10, do not currently have criteria for ‘work addiction’. However, this does not mean that such an addiction is invalid or any less severe than other recognised behavioural addictions.
You may first notice work addiction creeping in when you find yourself working extra hours, even unpaid hours. With time you may gradually notice that you have less and less time for friends, hobbies, and even selfcare, with much of your ‘good mood’ relying on your performance and participation at work. It’s important to read the signs, and ask yourself if your work is starting to negatively impact your physical, mental, social, and spiritual wellbeing.
In the absence of formal diagnostic criteria, many professionals use the Bergen Work Addiction Scale to identify work addiction in individuals. It is based on seven criteria that ask people to consider:
If you have said ‘yes’ for yourself, or someone you know, for four or more of the above points it may be time to seek professional help and support. Attending a rehabilitation centre can be a great way to start your recovery journey by addressing not only the work addiction, but also the root causes of why work can get so out of control for each unique person.
Upon admission patients typically undergo an assessment period between 5-10 days. This is where you will complete a series of assessments with a multidisciplinary team in order to best determine what your needs and goals are during your treatment stay. This enables not only completely holistic care, but also informs an efficient and meaningful individualised treatment plan.
During your treatment period, which is most often 28 days, you will undergo a variety of therapeutic interventions. This will include a range of more traditional talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), narrative therapy, traditional psychotherapy, dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), and others.
It will also include complementary therapies in order to provide a somatic sense of recovery including massage, acupuncture, meditation, sound bowls, ayurvedic medicine, and more. Alternative therapies may also be proposed such as art therapy, music and dance therapy, or equine therapy.
It is important to remember that not only does individual therapy help with recovery, but that research has consistently demonstrated the ‘power of the group’ when it comes to group therapeutic experiences. Not only does this provide you with the opportunity to build new connections with people experiencing similar problems, but it also enables peers to hold each other accountable during their recovery.
Towards the end of your stay you will establish a Relapse Prevention Plan that will help you build a ‘game plan’ that prevents relapses and protects your work addiction ‘sobriety’. While, in most cases, abstinence from work is not realistic, you can still build strategies into your life that enable a healthy work-life balance and promote positive mental wellbeing. Your treatment centre should also provide you with a strong aftercare plan, which connects you with professionals who can continue alongside you in your long-term recovery.
Yes, work addiction is often associated with mental health problems. This may either be because mental health problems existed beforehand and work became a coping strategy for you, or they may come to be as a result of excessive work behaviours, such as burnout. Regardless of which came first, work addiction and poor mental health often feed into each other; this creates a cycle that many find difficult to escape without suffering.
Some of the most common mental health concerns that are found to be co-occurring with work addiction include perfectionism, anxiety, depression, burnout, isolation, and impaired cognitive function. In order to truly address work addiction, one must also address the underlying causes of why this addiction has come to be. This typically involves a comprehensive approach that includes therapy, counselling, and lifestyle changes to achieve a healthier work-life balance and improve overall well-being.
If you find yourself asking this question, it may be because you are already trying to be as efficient as possible in your recovery in order to get back to work as soon as possible. Remember that recovery takes time, especially if you have been experiencing work addiction for a long time. Most professionals recommend starting recovery with a 28 day in-patient programme in order to jumpstart your journey back to wellbeing.
Burnout and work addiction are different, in that burnout is a consequence of chronic stress, often from people who are overworked. Work addiction may therefore cause burnout, among many other detrimental effects on your physical and mental health. Clinic Les Alpes has many articles on burnout if you would like to learn more about this debilitating illness.
Anybody who seeks the right support and help can experience recovery from work addiction. You are never too far gone, or not ‘bad enough’, to seek professional help. Work addiction is a relatively new concept, and so there is not a lot of scientific data on recovery rates - however it is important to know that early intervention is a great indicator for long-term recovery.
