A Writer's Handbook

          Jane’s hair is thinning; her eyes have dark circles beneath them; she rarely eats; she even hardly talks to any of her friends or family members:  Jane is an “addict.”  Her addiction started when she was twenty years old; at first no one noticed, but her problem grew. It grew so much that today, even after many of her friends have confronted her with it, she still can not get over it. She is not having to “get over” an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or even gambling; her problem is almost worse.  It is worse because her addiction is to something she must do to live:  her addiction is to her work. While work for some people is just a job done away from home, Jane’s work is something that has consumed her life and ruined many of her relationships and even her health. Although many people think of addiction as drug or alcohol related,  Jane’s story shows that even “work” can be an addiction because it ruins relationships, creates mental suffering, and causes health problems.

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