26.6.1 Discussion - Common errors re employment nexus for alcohol diseases

Where claims for alcoholism and related diseases are presented to Delegates, clients typically assert that a nexus with employment exists in that:

• they co — mmenced drinking heavily and subsequently developed an addiction in response to peer pressure in the ADF environment
• the ADF encouraged consumption of alcohol by providing alcohol in messes at less than the civilian community price
• 'stress' of the em — ployment drove the client to drink excessively
• pain or mental distress from a compensable injury induced the client to 'self medicate' with alcohol or an illicit drug.

However, these assertions are not to be accepted as demonstrating any nexus between disease and employment.