You can go through all of the signs of addiction and check the boxes off one at a time if you want. We aren’t going to stop you.
However, we will say that everyone is different. No two addicts are exactly the same.
We’re glad you came to us, friend. Because addiction to Freelancing is a real thing.
It’s a disease. And it has real consequences. Keep reading to learn more about the dangers of being a freelancer and for the signs that someone you know and love could be Addicted.
1. They Smile Too Much
What do you do when you see someone you’ve known for years and notice something is different? This sign of being addicted to freelancing may seem obvious to some, but for others, it’s quite subtle.
It starts around the general mouth area. You’ll notice the teeth may start to show. The lips will curl into a new, strange formation.
This Smile can be a sign of general happiness. A new career in freelancing can be a dangerous thing. Mostly because happiness starts with a smile. The smile can then evolve into other addiction-related symptoms, such as, but not limited to:
- Enjoying one’s life to an immense degree
- Having excessive amounts of free time
- Excessive traveling and vacationing
Keep in mind that smiling is contagious. The more your loved one does it, the more they could infect people around them. This isn’t a joke. Smiling, while not dangerous on its own, could lead to chronic happiness, which is a serious problem. While the majority of Americans will never have to worry about being happy, freelancers face risk others do not.
Do you really want to spend your life being different from other, non-happy, traditionally employed people? If you’re a freelancer who is smiling too much or know a freelancer who is smiling often, get help now. Before it’s too late.
2. It’s All They Talk About
You go out to dinner with them. Have a few drinks. And that’s when it starts.
Your loved one starts to talk. At first, it’s my client this, work from home that. But it doesn’t stop. They just go on and on.
While it’s perfectly normal for people to talk about their job or career path along with normal life outside of work, people addicted to freelancing have a serious problem. When they talk, it’s usually about freelancing. They don’t talk about music or TV or religion or politics.
Mostly because they don’t care. That’s right. Freelancing addicts don’t care what’s going on in the world around them.
What happened on the latest episode of Game of Thrones? They don’t know or care.
Who’s number one on the Billboard pop charts? They don’t know or care.
They care about being happy. They care about making their clients happy. After that, it’s all about what they want and when they want it. These freelance addicts can be incredibly selfish people.
You may try to get a word in here and there to talk about how miserable you are. Maybe you want to mention the boss you hate or how much pressure this new project is putting on you and how stressed you are.
But no. You can’t. The freelancer in your life doesn’t want to hear about how miserable you are. What a jerk!
3. They Barely Leave the House
You call them. They don’t answer. They don’t respond to texts. They’ve begun ghosting on social media.
A week later, they finally reply to a message and say, “Sorry. Working. LOL”
LOL? Really. They think the problem they have is funny? Do they think it’s a joke?
Probably.
What’s really scary part is they aren’t leaving their homes to work! The GrubHub bills are racking up. So are the paydays. They know everything that’s on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon.
They’ve got extra money laying around. You wonder what they’re doing to have so much extra money when you’ve been sitting outside their homes and watching. You know they aren’t going anywhere. No one is coming and going. You stalk them on social media. Nothing. There is only one logical explanation. Addiction. To freelancing. And it’s clearly a doozy.
4. They Try to Get Their Friends and Family Hooked
Maybe it happened one day while you were at lunch with them. Maybe it was a play date with your kids and theirs.
It can happen in any random social situation. You could be at the bar having drinks and they just suddenly drop a bomb on you.
Sure, usually it comes up at some point in the conversation. And you need to be prepared so you can handle it and respond appropriately.
“I can probably get you in if you’re looking to make some extra cash.”
How filthy does that make you feel? If this has happened to you, you probably went straight home and took a shower. What do you say? How do you refuse the offer without offending your loved one? The key is to think about what you don’t have in life and how you’re happy being unhappy about it all.
Say this to your friend. Be firm but fair. Tell them unhappiness is what you’re all about. Tell them you have too much money as it is. And you would appreciate it if they never mentioned it again and then politely suggest that they find some much-needed help. Suggest that they check out this treatment center.
Conclusion
Addiction can happen to anyone.
It doesn’t care about your religion, political affiliations, sexual orientation, gender, or ethnicity.
What matters is that the freelance addict in your life needs help. They need you to remind them of how unhappy you are and how shitty life can be.
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