Michael Rankin was hyped on success. At only 39, he was already managing director of a large financial services institution and head of a trading desk.

How did he do it? He didn’t move from his desk from 6:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. He never lost focus on work. And he always made sure he was the top dog. “I’m highly driven and motivated,” he says. “I’m tougher than the rest.”

Rankin now admits he was a workaholic and, as with many who share this affliction, he suffered the consequences. He crashed and burned.

Rankin has lots of company. In a recent Statistics Canada survey, an astonishing one-third of Canadians describe themselves as workaholics. While this may not appear to be in the same league as some of the more troubling addictions — after all, workaholics such as Rankin often achieve a great deal in life — it has a dark side that is often overlooked. From fractured families and stress-related health issues to conflict with friends and workplace colleagues, the hyper-focus of workaholism can lead to long-term troubles that undermine many of the sufferer’s work-related accomplishments.

That includes other, often more serious addictions. In Rankin’s case, it meant escaping into alcohol. “People take from me all week long,” Rankin says. “I was so high, buzzing so much, that on weekends I just wanted to chill out.”

More and more often, Rankin’s friends, loved ones and even co-workers saw him drunk. Quite often at the cottage, he’d be passed out by dinnertime from drinking in the afternoon. Once, he fell asleep at the table while having dinner in a restaurant.

Finally, a friend suggested that he get help, and he did. “I don’t want to be hung over,” he says. “I don’t want to miss dinner. And I just had to stop embarrassing myself.”

In fact, the strong connection between the two addictions is well known among therapeutic professionals. “This is very common in the financial services industry,” says Dr. Albert de Goias, a physician, psychotherapist and medical director of the Prometheum Institute, a private clinic in downtown Toronto that treats addiction problems. “In order to get extra oomph from performance, they try to stimulate the body. They use something to push it, such as cocaine, alcohol or caffeine. At the end of the push, the body demands balance.”

After a hectic workweek, there is only a short time to relax. Workaholics often use tranquilizers, alcohol or drugs to create forced rest. “That dance can only go on for a short while,” says de Goias. In a matter of months or years, both performance at work and personal relationships fall apart.

The root of Rankin’s problem was his singular focus on work, a singularity that left no room for outside interests. “It is OK to work intensely,” de Goias says. “But there is something wrong if you do it as a lifestyle.”

Workaholics are often characterized by a need to prove themselves again and again. “Solutions created now are not valid in five minutes. So, there is a constant intensity needed,” he says. “Even the most successful person can fail tomorrow.”

De Goias has developed a method of helping troubled people recover their health. Two years ago, he formalized his program and opened the Prometheum Institute, at which, with two other counsellors and a small staff, he treats such problems as drug and alcohol abuse, anger, gambling, domestic abuse and shoplifting.

De Goias’ solution for workaholics is to get them to believe in themselves, not just their performance. If you feel your life has become too narrowly focused on work, de Goias says, you should seek professional help. There are programs to treat alcoholism and substance abuse problems in all cities across Canada. Many are available through workplace wellness programs.

In de Goias’ program, private counselling is usually intensive, taking place in 12 weekly three-hour sessions. Patients usually start managing their problem on their own at about four weeks.

Recovery comes through the discovery of the patient’s own worth. “We look for the cause, the fragility of the self-image. And we show patients how to build themselves up,” de Goias says. It is important for people to have the tools to deal with change and chaos, which are inevitable, he says. “Life is full of invisible variables. We teach them to ‘proact,’ not react.”

@page_break@Rankin, one of de Goias’ patients, is learning to add new dimensions to his life: taking breaks from the trading desk, enjoying nature, going to the gym, listening to classical music, cooking dinners with friends and “seeing the stars.”

Rankin has found balance in his life, he says: “I’m back into finding other passions.” IE