Chained to the Desk: A Guidebook for Workaholics, Their Partners and Children, and the Clinicians Who Treat Them

by Bryan E. Robinson

Book Overview

As Seen on ABC's 20/20 Americans love a hard worker. The man or woman who works 18 hour days and eats his or her meals on the run between appointments is usually viewed with a combination of respect and awe. But for many, this lifestyle leads to family problems, a decline in work productivity, and ultimately to physical and mental collapse. In Chained to the Desk , best-selling author and widely-respected family therapist Dr. Bryan Robinson has written a groundbreaking book--the first comprehensive portrait of the workaholic. Intended for anyone touched by what Robinson calls "the best-dressed problem of the twentieth century," this innovative volume profiles the myths behind this greatly-misunderstood disorder and the inner psychological battle that work addicts wage against themselves. The book also serves as an inside look into the impact on those who live and work with them--partners, spouses, children, and colleagues--as well as the appropriate techniques for clinicians who treat them. Portraying the many different kinds of workaholism, Robinson draws on hundreds of case reports from his own original research and years of clinical practice. From California to the Carolinas, men and women tell of their agonizing bouts with workaholism and the devastations left in its wake. Adult children of workaholics describe their childhood pain and the life-long legacies they still carry. The spouses or partners of workaholics reveal the isolation and loneliness of their vacant relationships and the terror of questioning their own sanity. Employers and business colleagues discuss the cost to the company when workaholism dominates the workplace. Chained to the Desk both counsels and consoles. It provides a step-by-step guide to help readers spot workaholism, understand it, and recover. Robinson presents strategies for workaholics and their loved ones on how to cope, and for people in the workplace on how to distinguish between work efficiency and workaholism.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 081477556X
• ISBN13: 9780814775561
• Release Date: April 2001
• Publisher: New York University Press
• Length: 1 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.8" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Comprehensive and Touching

If you only read one book on workaholism, this should be it! It is informative, well-researched, and authentic (with narratives from real people) and includes a list of helpful resources such as Workaholics Anonymous. I found the chapter on the childhoods of workaholics especially touching.

Chained to the Desk Review

The moment I got this book I could not put it down. It offered helpful information for a wife of a workaholic. It connected words with the feelings that have been felt, the frustrations and disappoints. It is a must read for anyone who is a workaholic, and who lives with one.

Awesome Book

This is an awesome book that describes the seriousness of the addiction. The biggest obstacle will be getting the workaholic to actually read it.

A book that can change your life!

Begrudgingly I began to read this book at my wife's request, not expecting much - what a surprise I was in for. Chapter after chapter led to new revelations about my own work addition and how it impacts others. What the author presents is a way to overcome a sick work ethic and replace it with a new attitude that allows you to make your life rich and rewarding. Whether you are work-motivated by money or personal interests, this book is highly recommended for anyone who can't leave work in the office or believes that work is the most important part of their life.

If you could only buy one book on workaholism, this is it!

This is a frightening look at workaholism (the addiction to adrenaline) and the different forms in which it manifests itself. Dr. Robinson's words will hit home if you are or know a workaholic. The book includes information on how to recognize the symptoms, the disease's affect on partners, children and co-workers as well as descriptions of workaholic company cultures, and why this disease is encouraged instead of treated. The book gives some help on steps towards managing the disease from the Workaholics Anonymous 12 step program and other programs. Like all other addictions, Dr. Robinson points out that there's no easy fix, especially since the workaholic still has to work. But the disease is as life threatening as any other chemical addiction. There are lists of resources offered including programs, books and tapes. Keep this one nearby when you need the facts.