Sonia Weiser・July 13, 2020

Waking up every hour? Unable to fall asleep? Like J Lo, are you tossing and turning, emotions are strong? That’s a classic manifestation of stress. “Stress and anxiety work to make us more vigilant and reactive,” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, a psychiatrist and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine. “People may feel both ‘tired and wired,’ during the day, but have trouble relaxing, or are unable to nap.” Stress also makes it harder to get REM sleep—aka the super restful kind that our bodies need to recharge—which further exhausts and stresses the body. “Lack of refreshing sleep, can in turn make us more impulsive and reactive, which can make stress worse—as essentially it becomes harder to stop thinking about the stressor,” Dr. Dimitriu says.

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By Sarah Sheppard, Published on July 02, 2020

Though ADHD and depression can be diagnosed separately or together, says Alex Dimitriu, MD, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, it’s better to treat one condition at a time. Even though ADHD can cause depression, it is best to treat depression first, he explains. Once mood is regulated, cognitive function can be evaluated.

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June 19, 2020. Dr. Dimitriu was published in Psychology Today in an article titled: Groudhog Day – Burnout in the time of COVID.

Too many people have brought up the term “Groundhog day,” to not mention it formally. You wake up each day tired. The day ahead seems like a multi-stage triathlon. You want to stay in bed, and yet you cannot just fall back asleep. You just want to be left alone. Every little thing seems like a big deal. Including, even planning for a vacation. You are not really excited for the weekend. It’s all a monotonous blur with maybe a brief silver lining as you sip from a glass of wine once the dishes are done. “Is this my life until I die?” you ask yourself. This is becoming an all too common story. Exacerbated by COVID, but also a part of daily life for many people before the pandemic ever happened. Some will call this an existential crisis… “what am I doing here? I can’t wait to retire… wait… what am I wishing for?!” 

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By Elizabeth Millard, June 16, 2020

“Part of ketamine’s utility is that it has many uses, and has been extensively used on the battlefield, as well as in the rescue of the Thai soccer team from a cave [in 2019],” says Alex Dimitriu, MD, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “It can lift mood, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep. But it absolutely shouldn’t be seen as something you can use on your own as a way to self-medicate.”

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By Ruben Castaneda, Staff Writer, June 1, 2020

Prozac, Zoloft and other antidepressants can help with mood symptoms, often within four to six weeks, says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who’s double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine. He’s the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California. “Side effects are not too common, but sometimes can include reduced libido, some stomach upset and headache, the latter of which often disappears within the first week,” Dimitriu says. “Weight gain, while possible, tends to be fairly minimal. There is no need to suffer silently these days; we have actual working treatments.”

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By Dr. Alex Dimitriu, May 14, 2020

The virus has taken us to simpler time; will we want the “old normal” back?

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By Deanna deBara, May 14, 2020

“Exercise can help reduce anxiety and improve sleep,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, double board-certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “Exercise helps the body set its natural rhythm and tells the brain that this is a time to be awake. It [also] boosts endorphins and provides an outlet to release tension and pent up energy.”

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