WORK & LIFESTYLE ADDICTION TREATMENT

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🔒 All centres in our network are private facilities. This service does not provide access to public or free treatment.
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Understanding the Problem

Understanding Work and Lifestyle Addictions

Work and lifestyle addictions — workaholism, compulsive shopping, exercise addiction, and other activity-based addictions — are behaviours that, in excess, create the same cycles of compulsion, tolerance, and withdrawal as classic addictions. Society often rewards and normalises these behaviours (‘he’s so dedicated’, ‘she looks after herself’), which delays recognition of the problem and help-seeking.

The underlying suffering is real: anxiety when unable to perform the behaviour, deteriorating relationships and health, and loss of control. EAC offers specialist assessment and treatment in Barcelona for all forms of work and lifestyle addiction.

Types of Work & Lifestyle Addiction

Types of Work & Lifestyle Addiction

These addictions are frequently trivialised or even admired socially. Recognising the problem is the essential first step towards a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Work Addiction (Workaholism)

Compulsive working destroys health, relationships, and — paradoxically — long-term productivity.

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Shopping Addiction

Compulsive shopping creates debt, isolation, and shame in a cycle of short-lived satisfaction.

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Exercise Addiction

Exercise addiction, frequently linked to muscle dysmorphia, damages physical and mental health.

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Diving Addiction

Compulsive pursuit of nitrogen narcosis and extreme risk in diving is a rarely recognised form of risk addiction.

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«When compulsion disguises itself as virtue — working hard, staying fit, treating yourself — it’s difficult to recognise. But when it interferes with your wellbeing and relationships, it deserves the same professional attention as any other addiction.»

Why Treatment Cannot Wait

The Consequences of Untreated Lifestyle Addictions

Without professional intervention, this addiction progressively deteriorates all aspects of the affected person’s life. Understanding these consequences is fundamental to recognising the urgency of seeking specialist help.

Burnout and physical health collapse

Chronic workaholism leads to complete burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and loss of effectiveness. Cardiovascular disease, insomnia, and immune system deterioration are frequent consequences of excessive working.

Relationship deterioration and isolation

Lifestyle addictions prioritise compulsive behaviour over relationships. Partners and children feel abandoned, friendships fade, and progressive social isolation is the rule without treatment.

Financial consequences (compulsive shopping)

Compulsive shopping generates debts that are concealed in shame, creating a cycle of secrecy and guilt similar to gambling disorder. Shopping addiction is frequently associated with untreated mood disorders.

Physical damage from compulsive exercise

Excessive exercise causes overuse injuries, osteoporosis, hormonal problems, and in extreme cases, rhabdomyolysis. Muscle dysmorphia adds a body image distortion component that compounds the physical harm.

Our Treatment Programme

A Programme Built Around You

Our evidence-based treatment programme combines medically supervised care, individual therapy, group work, and comprehensive aftercare support. We design each programme around the specific needs of the individual.

  • 1

    Comprehensive Initial Assessment

    Our network’s clinical teams conducts an in-depth evaluation of your work patterns, underlying psychological drivers, physical health status, and co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, depression, or trauma. We assess how work addiction has impacted your relationships, identity, and overall quality of life, creating a detailed understanding of your unique presentation and recovery needs.

  • 2

    Medically Supervised Detoxification

    While work addiction doesn’t involve chemical withdrawal, the psychological and physiological process of disconnecting from compulsive work requires careful management. Specialist teams at our partner centres monitors stress hormone levels, sleep patterns, and anxiety symptoms, providing support for the discomfort and restlessness that often emerge when work-addicted individuals first step away from their routines.

  • 3

    Evidence-Based Psychotherapy

    Treatment incorporates Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to address perfectionism and distorted beliefs about productivity and self-worth, alongside mindfulness-based approaches to develop present-moment awareness and stress tolerance. We also utilise psychodynamic therapy to explore family-of-origin patterns, attachment styles, and trauma that may drive the compulsive need to achieve and prove oneself through work.

  • 4

    Holistic Wellbeing Support

    Our programme includes stress management training, sleep hygiene restoration, nutritional support to address the physical toll of chronic overwork, and gentle physical activity to reconnect with the body. Expressive therapies, meditation, and leisure skill development help clients rediscover pleasure, play, and rest—experiences often entirely absent from their lives for years.

  • 5

    Relapse Prevention Planning

    We develop strategies for maintaining healthy work boundaries, recognising early warning signs of relapse, and managing high-risk situations such as workplace pressures, performance reviews, or personal anxiety. Clients learn to identify triggers including perfectionism, fear of failure, and using work to avoid emotional discomfort, developing alternative coping mechanisms that support long-term balance.

  • 6

    Aftercare & Alumni Support

    Our comprehensive aftercare includes ongoing individual therapy, support groups specifically for work addiction recovery, and periodic check-ins to maintain accountability and boundary-setting skills. We provide workplace re-entry planning and ongoing support as you navigate the challenge of returning to professional life with healthy limits, helping you sustain recovery while maintaining career success.

«When compulsion disguises itself as virtue — working hard, staying fit, treating yourself — it’s difficult to recognise. But when it interferes with your wellbeing and relationships, it deserves the same professional attention as any other addiction.»

Do You Recognise This?

Warning Signs

If you recognise any of the following signs in yourself or a loved one, it is important to seek professional help as soon as possible.

Inability to disconnect from work or resist the impulse to shop or exercise

Irritability or anxiety when unable to perform the habitual behaviour

Neglecting relationships, health, or responsibilities due to compulsive behaviour

Continuing despite clear negative consequences (debt, injury, conflict)

Using the behaviour to escape difficult emotions or stressful situations

Repeated failure in attempts to moderate or control the behaviour

Recognising these signs is the first step.

Seeking help is the next. You do not need to have reached a crisis to deserve support. Early treatment leads to better outcomes.

Our lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Work and Lifestyle Addictions

We understand you have many questions about this addiction and the recovery process. Below we answer the most common questions raised by patients and their families.

Our admissions team is available 24 hours a day. All enquiries are completely confidential.

Work addiction treatment typically begins with a residential programme lasting 28 to 90 days, depending on the severity of the addiction and any co-occurring mental health conditions. This intensive phase allows you to fully disconnect from work pressures and engage deeply in therapy and recovery skill-building.

Following residential treatment, most clients continue with outpatient therapy for six to twelve months or longer, gradually applying new boundaries and coping strategies while re-engaging with professional life. Recovery is an ongoing process, and many individuals benefit from ongoing support groups and periodic therapy sessions to maintain healthy work-life balance long-term.

Absolutely. All treatment at our network of centres is completely confidential and protected under strict European data protection regulations and medical privacy laws. We do not disclose your presence in treatment to employers, colleagues, or anyone else without your explicit written consent.

Many clients choose to take medical leave or use accumulated holiday time to attend treatment without disclosing the specific nature of their absence. Our admissions team can provide guidance on managing professional responsibilities discreetly while accessing the care you need.

While work addiction doesn’t involve chemical withdrawal, stepping away from compulsive work patterns often produces uncomfortable psychological and physical experiences. Many people initially feel intense anxiety, restlessness, irritability, and a sense of purposelessness or emptiness when unable to work.

Some individuals experience difficulty sleeping, concentration problems, or depressive symptoms as the brain adjusts to functioning without the constant stimulation and dopamine release associated with work achievement. These symptoms are not medically dangerous but can be distressing, which is why our programme provides 24-hour support, therapeutic intervention, and techniques to manage discomfort during this adjustment period.

Unlike substance addictions, work addiction typically doesn’t require medication for detoxification. However, if you’re experiencing severe anxiety, insomnia, or depression related to stepping away from work, our psychiatric team may recommend short-term medication support such as sleep aids or anti-anxiety medications to ease the transition.

If you have co-occurring conditions such as clinical depression, generalised anxiety disorder, or ADHD—which often underlie work addiction—appropriate psychiatric medication may be prescribed as part of your comprehensive treatment plan. All medication decisions are made individually based on clinical assessment and ongoing monitoring by specialist teams at our partner centres.

Yes, and in fact, work addiction very commonly co-occurs with anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive traits, trauma, and ADHD. Our dual diagnosis approach addresses both the addictive behaviour and underlying or co-occurring mental health conditions simultaneously.

Treating both conditions together is essential for lasting recovery, as untreated mental health issues often drive compulsive work patterns. Our integrated treatment team includes psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists who collaborate to provide comprehensive care tailored to your complete clinical picture.

Yes, absolutely. Thousands of individuals have successfully recovered from work addiction and gone on to maintain fulfilling careers while also enjoying balanced, meaningful personal lives. Recovery doesn’t mean abandoning ambition or professional success—it means learning to achieve sustainably without sacrificing health, relationships, and wellbeing.

With proper treatment and ongoing support, you can develop healthy boundaries, learn to derive self-worth from multiple life domains, and experience the profound satisfaction of being fully present for all aspects of your life. Many of our clients report that recovery has actually enhanced their professional effectiveness by improving decision-making, creativity, and leadership abilities that were diminished by chronic stress and burnout.

We understand that taking time away from work feels urgent and complicated for individuals struggling with work addiction. Our admissions team works efficiently to arrange assessment, insurance verification, and programme placement, often within 24 to 72 hours of your initial enquiry.

We recognise the courage it takes to step away from professional responsibilities and prioritise your wellbeing. Our team will support you in navigating the practical aspects of beginning treatment, including medical leave planning and communication strategies, to make the process as smooth as possible.

Family involvement is an important component of work addiction treatment, as loved ones have often been significantly impacted by your absence, broken commitments, and emotional unavailability. We offer family therapy sessions, psychoeducation about work addiction, and communication skills training to help repair relationships and establish healthier dynamics.

Your family will learn to recognise enabling behaviours and develop their own boundaries, while you work on being more present and emotionally available. These sessions provide a safe, facilitated space to address hurt, rebuild trust, and create a foundation for healthier relationships moving forward.

Aftercare is crucial for work addiction recovery, as returning to professional environments presents ongoing challenges and relapse risks. Following residential treatment, we provide continuing outpatient therapy, support group connections, and accountability structures to help you maintain healthy boundaries while re-engaging with work.

Many clients participate in our alumni programme, which offers ongoing workshops, peer support, and access to clinical team members as needed. We also provide workplace re-entry planning, including strategies for communicating new boundaries, managing expectations, and navigating high-pressure situations without reverting to compulsive patterns. Long-term recovery is built through consistent practice and support, which aftercare programmes through our network provides.

Available 24/7 · +34 000 000 000 · All enquiries are completely confidential

Available 24/7 · +34 000 000 000 · All enquiries are completely confidential