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Dr. Daniel Mierlak, MD, PhD
Psychiatrist | Psychiatry
515 Madison Ave New York NY, 10022About
Dr. Daniel Mierlak is a psychiatrist practicing in New York, NY, and Montclair, NJ. He is board-certified in general and addiction psychiatry. Dr. Mierlak treats patients through a variety of methods including medications, psychotherapy, psychosocial interventions and more, depending on each individual case. Dr. Mierlak treats addictions, depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, insomnia, ADD and other mental illnesses.
Education and Training
SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Downstate Medical Center medical degree 1989
SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Downstate Medical Center PhD in neuroscience 1987
Board Certification
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Addiction Psychiatry (Psychiatry and Neurology)
Provider Details
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Dr. Daniel Mierlak, MD, PhD's Expert Contributions
Do antidepressants help with anger issues?
In many cases the serotonin antidepressants can reduce anger and irritability. READ MORE
Is there medication for addiction?
Yes, there are several effective medications for alcohol addiction. Speak with your GP or seek consultation with an addiction specialist. READ MORE
Does counseling work for social anxiety?
Yes, it does, particularly CBT. READ MORE
Can a behavioral psychologist treat anxiety?
Absolutely. Anxiety is one of the most common issues dealt with by these specialists, and their methods are very effective. Good luck. READ MORE
How can I treat my child's anxiety?
Consider a consultation with a cognitive psychologist who specializes in working with children. This approach has been shown to be very effective. Best of luck. READ MORE
Does Prozac cause weight gain?
Prozac *can* cause weight gain, but interestingly doesn't cause weight gain for everyone. Some people will even lose weight on Prozac. READ MORE
Anxiety over covid?
I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I think you would benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) given your symptoms. I would look for a specialist who provides this type of therapy. Also, you could ask for another appointment with your physician, explain your recent symptoms, and explore whether there could be some short term medication options for relief. Your symptoms are treatable with the proper approach. Hang in there and best of luck. READ MORE
Which antidepressants help with sleep?
Trazodone, mirtazapine, and paroxetine have very good sleep profiles. READ MORE
Is it possible to get this fixed?
Please do not cut the wound further, it could actually make it worse. Seek professional consultation from a plastic surgeon or a dermatologic surgeon. READ MORE
What helps insomnia anxiety?
There are of course various medications for sleep (collectively called "hypnotics"), but many non-pharmacologic approaches can greatly improve insomnia. CBT-I is one such approach and be can be utilized through various apps. SHUTi is one of the earliest versions of this technology and has helped many patients. READ MORE
Brain hyperactivity?
The phenomenon of getting "lost in thought" at bedtime is common, if not universal. It keeps many people up longer than they'd like. You can consult with a psychiatrist if you feel it causes significant negative consequences. There are medication and non medication strategies available to quiet the mind at bedtime. READ MORE
Can CBD Oil cause panic attacks?
As you probably know, CBD has been touted as a treatment for anxiety, but the data are sparse and it is not FDA approved for this indication. Other established treatments for anxiety, like the serotonergic antidepressants, occasionally cause anxiety as a side effect. Since the CBD literature is in its infancy, I would use my own responses as a guideline, i.e., if CBD causes a panic attack for you, then it would be wise to avoid it, even if all your friends say it works great for them. READ MORE
Can bipolar disorder continue into the elderly years?
Yes, it can. READ MORE
Areas of expertise and specialization
Faculty Titles & Positions
- Clinical Assistant Professor Weill Cornell College of Medicine 2000 - Present
- Medical Director Freedom Institute 2008 - Present
Awards
- Patients’ Choice Award (2018, 2017, 2015, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008) Year
- Compassionate Doctor Recognition (2018, 2015, 2011, 2010) Year
- On-Time Doctor Award (2018, 2017, 2015) Year
Professional Memberships
- American Psychiatric Association
- American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry
Fellowships
- Weill Cornell Medical Center HIV psychiatry 1995
- Bellevue MICA-TC addiction psychiatry
Professional Society Memberships
- American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry
Dr. Daniel Mierlak, MD, PhD's Practice location
New York, NY 10021Get Direction
Montclair, NJ 07043Get Direction
Dr. Daniel Mierlak, MD, PhD's reviews
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Patient Experience with Dr. Mierlak
Media Releases
Get to know Psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Mierlak, who serves patients in New York, New York & Montclair, New Jersey.
Dr. Mierlak has been practicing general psychiatry since 1993, and addiction psychiatry since 1995. Since 2000, he has been in full-time private practice (with two offices in New York) focusing on psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for patients with psychiatric and chemical dependency disorders. In 2006, he expanded his private practice to a third office in Montclair, New Jersey.
Utilizing an approach that integrates medication and psychotherapy, he works collaboratively with other therapists as well. He also provides psychotherapy for psychologically based conditions that interfere with relationship, occupational and social functioning or satisfaction. Some of his areas of expertise include depressive disorders, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit disorder.
Academically, Dr. Mierlak received his PhD in neuroscience in 1987, and his medical degree in 1989, both from the SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Downstate Medical Center. He completed his residency in psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical Center, Payne Whitney Clinic at New York Hospital in 1993. That same year, he joined the faculty at New York Hospital when he was appointed Chief Resident of the Payne Whitney Clinic psychiatry residency program.
After completing a research fellowship in HIV psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical Center in 1995, Dr. Mierlak joined the Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse at New York University, Bellevue Hospital Center. There, he completed his fellowship in addiction psychiatry and served as the Unit Chief for the Bellevue MICA-TC, a modified therapeutic community for homeless, dually diagnosed men, housed in the Bellevue men’s shelter.
In 1998, Dr. Mierlak became Director for Psychiatric Services at the Smithers Treatment Center (now Addiction Institute) at Roosevelt Hospital. There, he consulted on the inpatient, outpatient, and ambulatory detox services.
In 2000, he returned to the faculty at Weill Cornell College of Medicine as Clinical Assistant Professor. Years later, in 2008, he became Medical Director at the Freedom Institute, a non-profit outpatient alcohol and drug treatment center in midtown Manhattan with a 30 year history of treating patients.
Passionate about his work now as he ever has been, Dr. Mierlak is board-certified in psychiatry and addiction psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). The ABPN is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to serving the professions of psychiatry and neurology.
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behavior, cognition, and perceptions. Psychiatrists evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They conduct thorough psychiatric evaluations, develop treatment plans, prescribe medication, and evaluate treatment results.
Throughout his fruitful career, Dr. Mierlak has treated a wide array of psychiatric and addictive disorders in hospital, clinic, and private office settings. In addition to his clinical work, he has taught and lectured on topics in psychiatry. He has also conducted basic science research on the benzodiazepine receptor, and clinical research on psychiatric illness in HIV patients, and on substance use disorders in homeless, mentally ill men.
He is the author of two publications: Twelve Cases: A Psychiatrist’s True Stories of Mental Illness and Addiction [and Other Human Predispositions] & The Spanish Molecule: And Other Adventures in Addiction Psychiatry.
Through actual cases from his twenty-five years of practice as an addiction psychiatrist, Dr. Mierlak candidly describes the struggles of the addict, their loved ones, and his own as a physician enlisted to help. The ambiguities inherent in these struggles are not watered down for the reader, and while the author often questions his utility, one comes to understand that the house of addiction is full of trap doors for any and all who step inside. The Spanish Molecule is not a slick self-help book, but rather an unvarnished account of the front line battle against the scourge of addiction.
Among his most notable achievements include Patients’ Choice Award (2018, 2017, 2015, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008), Compassionate Doctor Recognition (2018, 2015, 2011, 2010), and On-Time Doctor Award (2018, 2017, 2015).
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Nearby Providers
- Dr. Maurice Masse MD7701 13th Ave Brooklyn NY 11228
- Dr. Elena Bruck M.D.FIRST AVENUE AT 16TH STREET NEW YORK NY 10003
- Dr. Calvin H. Haber M.D.1 Hickory Rd Woodmere New York 11598
- Maia Mamamtavrishvili15900 Riverside Drive West New York New York 10032
- Dr. Mariela Teresa Padro M.D.38 Winthrop Pl Staten Island NY 10314
- Dr. Wilfrid Raby PH.D., M.D.175 Cedar Ln Teaneck NJ 07666
Nearest Hospitals
LENOX HILL HOSPITALl
100 EAST 77TH STREET NEW YORK NY 10021CLARA MAASS MEDICAL CENTERl
ONE CLARA MAAS DRIVE BELLEVILLE NJ 7109HACKENSACK-UMC MOUNTAINSIDEl
BAY AND HIGHLAND AVE MONTCLAIR NJ 7042