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Too many employees are now turning to substances like alcohol to self-medicate due to stress, a specialist in addiction medicine says.

This "worrying trend" involves roughly one-third (35%) of Australians, says physician Dr Christian Rowan.

And he believes "the biggest barrier" to addressing it is that employees fear they'll "immediately lose their job if they disclose".

Therefore, managers need to be aware of the following warning signs to ensure early intervention: high rates of absenteeism; a decline in role performance (including reduced productivity); and "interpersonal red flags" such as mood changes, anger, and signs of depression or anxiety...