Workaholics anonymous

If you define yourself by what you do instead of who you are, you risk an identity crisis when you retire or are made redundant. Married career women are even more at risk.

"These women are particularly prone to cancer," says Humphreys. "They have a double dependency on career and homemaking as their means of being seen in this world. They literally work themselves to death to maintain high performance levels in both arenas."

The underlying reasons for work addiction can generally be traced to a childhood pattern where our sense of achievement was measured by our work performance. If doing well and being busy earned us praise when we were young, we are likely to push ourselves beyond our limits, striving for perfection and ultimately, our parents' approval. In the process, we become lonely and alienated.

Humphreys says, "When children witness a parent devoting excessive time to work and little time to marriage and family, they conclude that work is more important than people or relationships."

If you think you could be a workaholic or feel like you need more balance then make sure that you take time to experience a variety of things in life. See yourself as a valuable human being in areas other than work. Examine what has defined your approach to work and why you feel so driven to perform.

Do the work that feels right to you – you can't satisfy someone else's expectations of your life. Trying to do so will only create unbearable levels of stress. Once you release your need for approval, your self-esteem and independence will improve.

Are you a workaholic? Share your story in the comment box below.