By George Citroner, July 25, 2022

Individuals experiencing moderate and severe anxiety disorders may want to use WATs with caution, said Jeff Leininger, NP, a psychiatric nurse practitioner with Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California. He said that neuroscience points to a “dysregulated serotonin system” for people with active eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). “This dysregulation combined with increased psychosocial stressors cause individuals to fixate on thoughts and behaviors,” he added.

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By Susan Fishman, July 22, 2022

According to Emily Heard, MFT, a marriage and family therapist in Menlo Park, California, power imbalances in relationships often arise around specific themes, including: 

• finances
• sexual intimacy
• decision making
• duties and responsibility

When trying to handle these or other power imbalances, Heard explains three common dynamics can play out:

• demand/withdrawal
• distancer/pursuer
• fear/shame

“By acknowledging the relationship power dynamic,” Heard says, “any of the themes can be addressed, whether it’s a major life decision or a simple disagreement.”

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By Ann Pietrangelo, July 13, 2022

“The goal ultimately may not be to avoid having such dreams, but rather approach them with curiosity to better understand them,” Dr. Alex Dimitriu, of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California, told Healthline. Recurring dreams about death can be the result of ongoing stress and unresolved issues. Try to identify the cause of stress in your waking life. Confronting the issue may help stop the dreams.

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By George Citroner, July 12, 2022

Jeff Leininger, NP, with Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California, said that for some people, drinking during the pandemic was another cycle in existing abuse patterns. “The baked-in circuitry regulating dopamine, serotonin, gaba and glutamate transmission was already there, and the pandemic just added fuel to the fire,” he said. “For others, alcohol became a newer, maladaptive coping strategy.” Leininger pointed out that the pandemic closed gyms and restaurants, and travel was restricted, leaving many to find relief in drinking. “When fear and chaos surrounds,” he said. “Avoidance and escape is prized.”

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By George Citroner, July 8, 2022

Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who is double board certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and is the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, as well as BrainfoodMD, told Healthline that this condition results from abnormalities or damage to a part of the right side of the brain called the fusiform gyrus. This is a fold in the brain that coordinates the neural systems responsible for controlling facial perception and memory. “[Prosopagnosia] has been shown to affect up to two percent of the general population,” Dimitriu said. He explained that people with prosopagnosia have trouble recognizing faces as a whole, to be able to identify them.

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By George Citroner,  July 5, 2022

“I’m not surprised at these findings,” said Dr. Alex Dimitriu, an expert in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in California as well as BrainfoodMD. “In the end, we are biological creatures and are programmed to get our needs met,” he told Healthline. “Part of that is being uncomfortable until we get what we need.” Dimitriu noted that in his experience he’s seen pain, such as headaches or back pain, physical discomfort, and being sleep deprived, as reasons people can become irritable and aggressive. “Anyone who notices a significant drop in mood or energy or change in irritability with hunger should at some point speak with a doctor and make sure blood sugar levels and lab values are within normal limits,” he advised.

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By David Rossiaky, June 28, 2022

“I tell all my patients, you need to be ‘vertical’ during the day to sleep better ‘horizontally’ at night; this means outdoor time and physical activity,” Dr. Alex Dimitriu, an expert in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park (California) Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine and BrainfoodMD, told Healthline. Dimitriu advised that in order to get a good night’s sleep there are a few things you should avoid during the final hours leading up to bedtime. These include caffeine, alcohol, intense exercise, bright light, naps, and electronic devices.

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