But in those days I was also learning everything I could about stress management. Now, I can see why it looked like I was a compulsive worker - but I was never devoted to work to the exclusion of my other interests, activities, and relationships. These people are driven to work. They require work to fill some inner need. These people really get into difficulty if they lose their job or retire.
Some people find work to be exciting and enjoyable, preferring it to almost everything else.
However, I've met very few happy workaholics. Most folks I know who are grinding through long hours are doing it for other reasons. In fact, I think a lot of people have developed workaholic lifestyles without really being workaholics. See if any of these descriptions apply to you. Reluctant Workaholics work long hours out of necessity, not desire.