Are some people driven to work like dogs and why does he work non stop?

Question

My boyfriend works for the railroad and not just 40 hrs a week. He goes in 6 days a week from 8 pm till 8 am and drives 160 miles round trip to do it.
Why is he doing this? They told him when he started this job, it would only last 3 months and that was over a year ago. He
has diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure. He drinks way too much. Every Sunday, you can count on him to be totally drunk in his house falling down. He doesnt go to bars.
What is he doing this for? I dont get it. He calls me on the phone in the afternoon when he wakes up just to say hi and see if I would like to hang out with him. I usually make him
something for his lunch and off he goes. He calls me on his cell phone about 3 times every nite and then tells me goodnite and comes home in the morning, gets about 5 stiff drinks in and goes to bed. What do you think drives him to do this?

He has been on the railroad for years. He thought this job was temporary and it makes really good money. The alcoholism has been on going for many years. He knows it.

Answer 1

You say he has 5 stiff drink and goes to bed, does he get up and go to work the next morning. If so, it is just a matter of time before he is looking for another line of work. One mishap or a random alcohol test will reveal alcohol, even a trace amount, in his system and he will be dismissed.

Answer 2

e. siller is quite correct.

"Rule G" prohibits the use of drugs or alcohol not only while on duty but when "subject" to duty as well. If marked up and available for a call, you are subject to duty.

In most cases, people don't drive themselves to "work like dogs." It is the railroads that demand this, constantly working people to exhaustion due to employing barely enough men to keep the traffic moving, which creates a dangerous condition on a par with men impaired by alcohol or drugs during discharge of duty.

Though the railroad has driven many to drink, alcoholism is as prevalent across the board, from one occupation to the another. I'm surprised he has lasted this long, and that the other crewmen haven't reported the problem. I know I sure wouldn't tolerate a drunkard on my crew. If he gets caught, his coworkers could take a dive with him for failing to report an impaired individual.

It would appear you have hitched your wagon to a falling star. Best advice, cut your loses and bail out now.

Good luck to you.

Answer 3

I think you are missing a serious point here.

What makes you deal with it?

You have a seriously wrong relationship. Your letter is written more in the tone of a mother then of a girlfriend. Where do you see your relationship in five years? (in 5 MONTHS perhaps)

Your BF has some serious problems (health AND relationship) but they are his problems. He needs to get some kind of focus to identify why he has this behavior and YOU need to decide if you want to be his mother all of his life (and it doesn't sound like that will be for too long at this rate).

sorry for the hard words.. but there are TWO peoples lives being messed up here.. not one.


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