Dr. Mike Mah, MD - Psychiatry

Dr. Mike Mah, MD - Psychiatry A board-certified integrative psychiatrist serving West Los Angeles.

04/23/2026

😣 Taking Trazodone for sleep but waking up with a stuffy nose or sinus pressure?
Dr. Mike Mah here — this is surprisingly common.
Trazodone blocks alpha-1 receptors, which causes blood vessels in your nose to dilate. That leads to congestion and sinus pressure for many people.
It’s not allergies or a cold — it’s a side effect of the medication.
If you’re experiencing this, don’t just push through it. Talk to your psychiatrist — a dose adjustment or switch can often fix it quickly.
Drop a 👃 if this is you, or comment “TRAZODONE” for more sleep med tips.
Always consult your doctor before changing any medication.
SideEffects SleepTips AlphaBlocker DrMikeMah MentalHealthAwareness

04/23/2026

😣 Taking Trazodone for sleep but waking up with a stuffy nose or sinus pressure?
Dr. Mike Mah here — this is surprisingly common.
Trazodone blocks alpha-1 receptors, which causes blood vessels in your nose to dilate. That leads to congestion and sinus pressure for many people.
It’s not allergies or a cold — it’s a side effect of the medication.
If you’re experiencing this, don’t just push through it. Talk to your psychiatrist — a dose adjustment or switch can often fix it quickly.
Drop a 👃 if this is you, or comment “TRAZODONE” for more sleep med tips.
Always consult your doctor before changing any medication.

04/16/2026

😣 Struggling with brain zaps, headaches, or feeling emotionally all over the place when trying to get off Pristiq, Effexor, or Cymbalta?
Dr. Mike Mah here with a practical tip that helps many patients.
SNRIs like Pristiq and Effexor have a short half-life, so blood levels drop fast and discontinuation symptoms hit hard — even with a slow taper.
One effective strategy: About a week before stopping the SNRI, start Prozac (fluoxetine) 20 mg. Then discontinue the SNRI. Stay on Prozac for another 7–14 days before tapering off.
Because Prozac leaves the system very slowly, it creates a gentler landing and softens the withdrawal.
Note: At low doses, these SNRIs mostly affect serotonin anyway. This bridge isn’t perfect for everyone, but it’s often much easier than stopping cold.
Always work with your psychiatrist — never change medications without guidance.
Drop a 🧠 if this is helpful, or comment “BRIDGE” for more tips.

Curious about Buspirone (formerly Buspar)? One of the most misunderstood anxiety medications — but it has a unique place...
04/14/2026

Curious about Buspirone (formerly Buspar)? One of the most misunderstood anxiety medications — but it has a unique place in psychiatry.
Dr. Mike Mah breaks it down in plain language:
✅ How it actually works in the brain
✅ Why it’s non-sedating and non-addictive
✅ When psychiatrists typically prescribe it
✅ Dosing, side effects, and realistic expectations
Swipe through for a clear, no-hype education on this gentle anxiety option.
Not a fast-acting “rescue” med like benzos — but for the right patient with ongoing generalized anxiety, it can be genuinely helpful.
Comment “BUSPIRONE” if you want more tips or have questions 👇
Always discuss with your psychiatrist before starting or changing any medication.

04/13/2026

😩 Taking Adderall XR or Vyvanse in the morning but still wide awake at 11 PM?
Dr. Mike Mah here — this is one of the most common complaints I hear from patients.
The focused effect might last 6–8 hours, but these stimulants can disrupt your sleep for up to 12–13 hours after you take them.
Just because you don’t “feel” it working anymore doesn’t mean it’s not still affecting your ability to fall asleep.
Small timing adjustments can make a big difference.
Drop a 💤 if this is you, or comment “SLEEP” below for more tips.
Always consult your psychiatrist before changing any medication schedule.

📍 We’re hiring board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) in Los Angeles!Join Century City Psychiatry, a n...
04/03/2026

📍 We’re hiring board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) in Los Angeles!

Join Century City Psychiatry, a new outpatient practice led by Dr. Mike Mah.

✅ Hybrid model (telehealth + Century City office)
✅ Start part-time, grow quickly to full-time
✅ Competitive W-2 salary + clinical mentorship
✅ Opportunity to work with Spravato as we expand

We’re looking for a board-certified, California-licensed Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) ready to make a difference in a comprehensive, patient-centered setting.

📩 Apply now via ZipRecruiter — link in bio or send us a DM titled “NP.”

Century City Psychiatry is hiring!We’re looking for a fully licensed LCSW to join our growing team. This is a hybrid pos...
01/21/2026

Century City Psychiatry is hiring!
We’re looking for a fully licensed LCSW to join our growing team. This is a hybrid position—with a focus on telehealth—serving patients across California. Our office is based in Century City (90025) and offers a supportive, collaborative environment.

✅ Competitive compensation
✅ Supportive admin + billing team
✅ Mentorship and room to grow
✅ Flexibility and autonomy

DM us “LCSW” to apply!

12/19/2025

Negative urgency is one of the most important — and misunderstood — traits in Borderline Personality Disorder.

It’s not just impulsivity.
It’s the inability to tolerate emotional distress, combined with an urgent need to do something to make the feeling stop.

In this clip, we walk through how anxiety, fear of abandonment, and distress intolerance can rapidly turn into impulsive behavior — often damaging relationships in the process.

If you’ve ever reacted urgently just to make the feeling go away, this may explain why.

12/12/2025

A common question about Borderline Personality Disorder is: Do people ever actually get better?

The answer is more hopeful than most people think.
Large long-term studies show that 50–70% of people with BPD no longer meet diagnostic criteria over time, even without intensive treatment.

That doesn’t mean “nothing happened.”
Improvement requires change — and for many people with BPD, life itself creates pressure to change, especially through relationships.

This clip breaks down what remission really means, how it differs from full recovery, and why BPD symptoms often soften with age.

12/08/2025

Where did the term “borderline” actually come from?

Before the DSM, psychiatry divided suffering into two main groups:
• Neurotic — people who could still reality test
• Psychotic — people who were disconnected from reality

Clinicians noticed that some patients didn’t fit neatly into either category. Most of the time, they could describe reality accurately… but under stress, conflict, or emotional triggers, they’d slip into distorted perceptions.

That “in-between” group became known as borderline — the border between neurotic and psychotic functioning.

It’s an old term, but the idea still helps explain why emotion and stress can dramatically affect the way someone with BPD perceives reality.

12/03/2025

Projection is one of the most confusing and relationship-damaging defenses — especially for people with Borderline Personality Disorder.

It’s not deliberate. It’s not imagined. It’s an unconscious process where a feeling that originates inside of you suddenly feels like it’s coming from someone else.

In this clip, we break down how projection works, why it feels so real, and how it can turn a neutral moment into a relationship-ending conflict.

Have you ever realized you were projecting onto someone — or had someone project onto you?

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