Drug and alcohol misuse
Dr Sabrina Pozzi Langhi is a GP with clinical experience in drug or alcohol misuse, based in Perth, Western Australia. She provides comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, and management through long consultations.
Drug and Alcohol Misuse GP Support in Perth
Alcohol or drug use can affect mental health, sleep, relationships, work, parenting, physical health and safety. For some people, substance use becomes a way to cope with anxiety, low mood, trauma, stress, insomnia or ADHD-related difficulties, while also making those concerns harder to manage.
Dr Sabrina Pozzi Langhi provides drug and alcohol misuse GP support in Perth, with longer consultations designed to understand the full clinical picture and develop a practical, coordinated care plan.
Sabrina consults at Elaris House in West Leederville, Perth.
Who this is for
This page is for people whose alcohol or drug use is causing distress, health concerns, relationship or work impacts, or is complicating anxiety, depression, sleep problems, ADHD or trauma-related symptoms.
This may include people seeking support for alcohol misuse disorder, drug use concerns, safer use, reduction, abstinence goals, relapse prevention, or related mental health presentations.
What drug and alcohol-related difficulties can look like
Drug and alcohol-related difficulties vary from person to person. They may include:
Increasing use over time: using more than intended, difficulty cutting down, tolerance or morning use.
Using substances to cope: using alcohol or drugs to manage stress, sleep problems, anxiety, low mood, trauma or emotional distress.
Cravings or loss of control: strong urges, risky use, blackouts, memory gaps or poor decision making when using.
Withdrawal or physical concerns: withdrawal symptoms, medical concerns, fatigue, sleep disruption or worsening physical health.
Functional impacts: effects on work, study, parenting, relationships, finances or safety.
Worsening mental health: increased anxiety, depression, irritability, mood instability or sleep disruption related to use.
A mixed clinical picture: substance use may overlap with ADHD, trauma, anxiety, depression, insomnia or other mental health concerns.
How Sabrina’s approach helps
Sabrina’s approach is thorough, calm and non-judgemental. Longer appointments allow time to understand the pattern of use, triggers, goals, mental health contributors, physical health factors, safety risks, previous supports and current circumstances.
The aim is to clarify priorities and develop a structured care plan. This may include harm reduction strategies, goals around reduction or abstinence, medication review within scope, a Mental Health Care Plan when appropriate, referral coordination and follow-up planning.
For health professionals
Sabrina may be helpful to involve when substance use is complicating mental health presentations, treatment response, sleep, ADHD, trauma-related symptoms or medication review.
Referral may also be appropriate where there are safety concerns, diagnostic uncertainty, significant functional impairment, comorbidity, relapse risk, or a need for coordinated care with counselling, AOD services, detox or specialist supports.
Examples of referral considerations include:
Substance use complicating mental health presentations or treatment response
Safety concerns, diagnostic uncertainty or significant functional impairment
Complex comorbidity involving anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD or sleep disruption
Medication review needs within scope
Need for coordinated referral to counselling, AOD services, detox or withdrawal services
Follow-up planning and relapse prevention support
Urgent support
This page provides information about planned, non-emergency drug and alcohol misuse care. For crisis, emergency, safety concerns, specialist-only pathways, or medico-legal/report boundaries, please refer to the Model of Care page.
If there is immediate risk of harm to yourself, your baby, your child, or another person, call 000 or attend the nearest emergency department. Acute intoxication, severe withdrawal or medical instability needs urgent care.
Appointments
If you are concerned about alcohol or drug use and would like a comprehensive GP assessment and care plan, you can contact the practice to ask about appointment availability.