Dr Varun Sharma
Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Varun Sharma is a young Perth trained Consultant Psychiatrist who was born and brought up in Western Australia. He completed six years of medical training with Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at the University of Western Australia in 2012. Dr Sharma is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP) and has completed an extra five years of specialty training to attain this qualification.
Dr Sharma has a passionate interest in the management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and always strives to spread knowledge about the condition whilst aiming to reduce the stigma. He has personal experience of the condition and an experience of family members going through the assessment, diagnosis and treatment. Given this, he has a more intimate understanding of ADHD and is skilled in ‘fine tuning’ medication management. He enjoys optimising pharmacological management of the disorder and combining this with non-pharmacological management.
Dr Sharma has a keen interest in Addiction disorders and has spent many years during his psychiatric training gaining experience in managing those with substance use disorders. He decided to formalise this interest and has completed a Certificate in Advanced Training in Addiction Psychiatry through the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. It is common for those with addiction disorders to struggle to be seen by the mental health system because often services want them to deal with the addiction disorder first. Dr Sharma understands that mental health disorders and addiction disorders are inextricably linked and loves seeing patients from a wide range of backgrounds with a non-judgmental attitude. He aims to de-stigmatise the concept of addiction and reiterate that addiction disorders are in themselves mental health disorders.
In combining his two passions, Dr Sharma sees a large cohort of patients with both addiction disorders and ADHD. These patients can experience ADHD as the driving force behind their addiction, and by treating the underlying ADHD and its associated impulsivity, the need to use substances as a self-medication strategy can greatly diminish. He is familiar with the approval processes in place when attempting to treat such patients and will work you in navigating these complexities.
Dr Sharma is a member of the ADHD WA Lived Experience Advisory Body wherein consumers who have been personally affected by ADHD are able to have a voice in order to advocate for changes, spread awareness and work towards reducing the stigma of ADHD.
Dr Sharma understands that seeing a psychiatrist can be a daunting experience and tries to make your consultation a comfortable, safe experience. He believes in a collaborative approach to management – in other words, presenting patients with a diagnostic formulation, management options and suggestions but ultimately leaving the choice in their hands.