Last updated: May 23, 2026.
Current State
At present, shariqrefai.com does not host comments, public forums, reader profiles, public reviews, or user-facing AI tools. The only reader-submitted content channel is the contact form, which is private and covered by the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
This page sets the standards that will apply if and when interactive features are added, including comments, community spaces, quizzes, symptom-reflection tools, or AI-assisted features. It exists so that readers and contributors know what to expect ahead of time.
Community Guidelines
Any future comments, discussion threads, or community spaces on this site exist for thoughtful, respectful conversation about mental health, psychiatry, books, and ideas. Participation is a privilege, not a right, and the following are required of all contributors:
- Be respectful. Disagree with ideas, not people.
- Stay on topic for the page or thread you're contributing to.
- Don't post anything you wouldn't want your name attached to.
- Don't share private information about another person without their consent.
- Don't post content that's discriminatory, harassing, threatening, sexually explicit, defamatory, or that targets any individual or group on the basis of identity.
- Don't promote products, services, supplements, treatments, or schemes.
- Don't impersonate Dr. Refai, any other clinician, or any organization.
- Don't post anything that could be construed as personal medical advice to another reader.
Comment Policy
If comments are ever enabled, they will be moderated. Comments may be edited, removed, or refused at editorial discretion when they violate these guidelines or the Terms of Use. Removal is not an accusation; it is a moderation decision. Repeated violations may result in a permanent ban from commenting.
Crisis and Safety
Any reader-facing surface on this site, current or future, is not a crisis line. Comments, threads, or AI tools, if added, are not monitored in real time for safety concerns and should never be used as a substitute for emergency help.
If you are in crisis or feel unsafe, call or text 988 in the United States, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. Outside the United States, contact your local emergency services.
User Content Terms
"User content" means any text, comment, message, image, audio, video, file, response, rating, review, quiz answer, prompt input, or other material that you submit to or through this website (whether through the contact form, future comments, forums, quizzes, or AI tools).
Your Responsibility
You're responsible for your user content. You represent that you have all rights necessary to submit it; that it doesn't infringe anyone else's rights; that it doesn't contain unlawful, defamatory, or harassing material; and that you understand it is not a clinical communication and is not covered by HIPAA on this site.
License You Grant
By submitting user content to this website, you grant Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, and his affiliated organizations a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable license to host, store, reproduce, adapt (for example, for length or clarity), display, and use that content in connection with operating, improving, and promoting this site and its educational content. You retain ownership of your content.
No Confidential Relationship
Submitting user content does not create a physician-patient, therapist-client, treatment, fiduciary, or confidential medical relationship of any kind. Do not submit information you intend to be confidential medical communication. See the Medical & Educational Disclaimer for the full position.
Removal and Retention
User content may be edited or removed at editorial discretion at any time, with or without notice, where it violates these terms or the Terms of Use. Retention of contact-form and other submissions is described in the Privacy Policy.
Quizzes, Symptom Tools, and Reflection Features
If quizzes, symptom-reflection tools, calculators, or self-assessment features are added in the future, they are informational reflection prompts, not diagnostic instruments. Specifically:
- They will not say "you have" a condition.
- They will not say "you likely have" a condition.
- They will use neutral language such as "your responses may reflect patterns sometimes associated with..." and direct readers to a qualified clinician for any actual evaluation.
- They will state, prominently, that results are informational only and are not a diagnosis.
AI-Assisted Reader Tools
If AI-assisted features are ever added to this site for readers (for example, a search assistant, a glossary explainer, or a content summarizer), they will:
- Be labeled clearly as AI-assisted.
- Not provide diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or individualized medical advice.
- Not act as a chat therapist, crisis line, or monitoring service.
- Not retain or train on identifying reader inputs without explicit, separate consent.
See the AI Use & Editorial Assistance Policy for the broader position on AI.
Reporting a Violation
If you see content on this site that violates these guidelines (in the future, in a comment, thread, or tool), or content that infringes a copyright you own, please report it. For copyright issues, see the Copyright page. For everything else, email support@shariqrefai.com or use the contact page.
Changes
These guidelines may be updated as features are added or as standards evolve. The updated version will be posted here with a revised "Last updated" date.