# Shariq Refai, MD, MBA > Official website of Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, a board-certified psychiatrist, author, speaker, founder of shrinkMD, and creator of the Shrink Network. This is an educational author and media platform and does not provide clinical care. Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, writes and speaks about anxiety, overthinking, emotional regulation, the high-performer pattern, and how modern psychiatry actually works. This file is a curated map of the site for AI systems and language models, generated automatically from the live pages so it stays current as the site changes. _Canonical site: https://shariqrefai.com/ . Last updated: 2026-06-22._ For the full text of the most important pages inlined into one file, see https://shariqrefai.com/llms-full.txt. _Usage: AI search and answer engines are welcome to quote and cite this content when answering questions, with attribution to Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, and a link back to https://shariqrefai.com/ . Using this content to train or fine-tune models or to build datasets is not permitted. See https://shariqrefai.com/copyright ._ ## Start here The core of the site and who Dr. Refai is. - [Home](https://shariqrefai.com/): The personal site of Shariq Refai, MD, MBA — board-certified psychiatrist, founder of shrinkMD and shrinQ, creator of the Unstuck app, and author of books on anxiety, overthinking, and the patterns that shape how people think, feel, and function. Part of The Shrink Network. - [About Dr. Refai](https://shariqrefai.com/about): Meet Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, a board-certified psychiatrist, shrinkMD founder, and author. His training, his background, and how he writes about the mind. ## Books Upcoming books on anxiety, overthinking, and emotional health. - [Books (overview)](https://shariqrefai.com/books): Three upcoming books from board-certified psychiatrist Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, on anxiety, overthinking, panic, and the patterns that keep people mentally stuck. - [Your Mind Is Full of Sh*t](https://shariqrefai.com/books/your-mind-is-full-of-shit): A board-certified psychiatrist's book on overthinking and anxiety. Your Mind Is Full of Sh*t names the four lies that quietly keep modern adults stuck. - [Your Mind Is Full of Sh*t: The Workbook](https://shariqrefai.com/books/your-mind-is-full-of-shit-workbook): The companion workbook to Your Mind Is Full of Sh*t. Psychiatrist-designed reflection prompts for noticing your own anxiety and overthinking patterns. - [The Havoc in Your Head](https://shariqrefai.com/books/the-havoc-in-your-head): A board-certified psychiatrist's reset for the moment anxiety, panic, and overthinking take over. The Havoc in Your Head, by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA. ## Essays and perspectives Long-form, psychiatrist-written essays on anxiety, overthinking, and how the mind works. - [Essays and perspectives (index)](https://shariqrefai.com/perspectives): Essays on psychiatry, anxiety, overthinking, and emotional health from board-certified psychiatrist Shariq Refai, MD, MBA. Clear, calm, and evidence-informed. - [What Modern Psychiatry Gets Right, and What People Miss](https://shariqrefai.com/perspectives/what-modern-psychiatry-gets-right): A board-certified psychiatrist on what modern psychiatry actually gets right, what the public conversation keeps getting wrong, and why the nuance matters. - [Why Your Mind Races at Night, and How to Quiet It](https://shariqrefai.com/perspectives/why-your-mind-feels-loudest-when-trying-to-rest): Why do racing thoughts get louder at bedtime? A board-certified psychiatrist explains the pattern, the nervous system behind it, and what actually helps. - [Why Overthinking Makes Anxiety Worse, by a Psychiatrist](https://shariqrefai.com/perspectives/why-thinking-harder-usually-makes-anxiety-worse): Can overthinking make anxiety worse? A psychiatrist explains why analyzing anxiety backfires, and why intelligent people get stuck in the loop the hardest. - [Why You Replay Conversations in Your Head, and How to Stop](https://shariqrefai.com/perspectives/why-your-brain-replays-conversations-long-after-they-end): Why does your brain replay old conversations for days? A psychiatrist explains the social wiring behind the loop, and what actually helps interrupt it. - [High-Functioning Anxiety: Why Successful People Feel Anxious](https://shariqrefai.com/perspectives/why-high-performers-can-still-feel-anxious): Why do successful people still feel anxious? A psychiatrist explains high-functioning anxiety, why achievement deepens the pattern, and what actually helps. - [Why Does Everything Feel Urgent? Your Nervous System](https://shariqrefai.com/perspectives/why-your-nervous-system-thinks-everything-is-urgent): Why does everything feel urgent? A board-certified psychiatrist explains how the modern nervous system reads ordinary life as a constant emergency. - [Digital Mental Health: Why Convenience Isn't Care](https://shariqrefai.com/perspectives/digital-mental-health-needs-more-than-convenience): A board-certified psychiatrist on why most mental health apps fall short, what real telepsychiatry looks like, and how to tell convenience apart from care. - [Why Popular Mental Health Tips Fail in the Moment](https://shariqrefai.com/perspectives/why-popular-mental-health-commentary-falls-short-in-the-moment): Why does popular mental health content fall short in the exact moment you need it? A board-certified psychiatrist on what the body needs before the mind. - [The Difference Between a Thought and Thinking](https://shariqrefai.com/perspectives/difference-between-a-thought-and-thinking): A thought arrives on its own. Thinking is what you do next. A psychiatrist explains the distinction that quiets overthinking, and why it matters so much. ## Speaking, media, and ventures Talks, press features, projects, and ways to get in touch. - [Projects and ventures](https://shariqrefai.com/projects): The ventures founded by psychiatrist Shariq Refai, MD, MBA: shrinkMD telepsychiatry, the shrinQ wellness program, the Unstuck app, and shrinkMD Publishing. - [Media and press features](https://shariqrefai.com/media): Press resources for board-certified psychiatrist Shariq Refai, MD, MBA: bios, credentials, headshots, a quote library, and how to request an interview. - [Media inquiries](https://shariqrefai.com/media-inquiries): Press, podcast, speaking, publishing, and editorial collaboration inquiries for Shariq Refai, MD, MBA. Not for medical care, treatment, or crisis communication. - [Speaking and talks](https://shariqrefai.com/speaking): Book board-certified psychiatrist Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, for keynotes on anxiety, performance pressure, emotional health, and mental health literacy. - [Contact](https://shariqrefai.com/contact): Contact Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, for media interviews, speaking engagements, publishing inquiries, and professional collaborations. Reviewed within three days. - [Press and media kit](https://shariqrefai.com/press): Press coverage archive for Shariq Refai, MD, MBA: interviews, feature articles, expert commentary, and council profiles where he appears as a source. ## Reference and resources Plain-language reference material for readers. - [Mental health glossary](https://shariqrefai.com/glossary): A plain-language glossary of mental health terms for general readers: anxiety, depression, the nervous system, common diagnoses, and treatment approaches. - [Frequently asked questions](https://shariqrefai.com/faq): Frequently asked questions about Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, this educational platform, the books, the perspectives essays, shrinkMD, and how to work together. ## Editorial standards and trust How content is researched, reviewed, corrected, and held accountable. - [Editorial process](https://shariqrefai.com/editorial-process): How essays and educational content on shariqrefai.com are authored, reviewed, sourced, and updated. The editorial standards behind every article. - [AI policy](https://shariqrefai.com/ai-policy): How AI tools are and are not used in producing the books, essays, and educational content on shariqrefai.com. Human editorial oversight always comes first. - [Disclosures](https://shariqrefai.com/disclosures): Transparent disclosure of Dr. Shariq Refai's ownership interests, founding roles, and the relationships between shariqrefai.com and the ventures he leads. - [Corrections and updates](https://shariqrefai.com/corrections): How factual errors are corrected, how content is updated as evidence evolves, and how readers can report an issue with an essay or page on shariqrefai.com. - [Evidence standards](https://shariqrefai.com/evidence): The evidence hierarchy behind educational content on shariqrefai.com, from meta-analyses to expert opinion, and how guidance changes as the evidence evolves. - [Medical review board](https://shariqrefai.com/medical-review-board): The medical review board for shariqrefai.com: who reviews clinical content before publication, how reviewers are selected, and the standards they apply. ## Policies Legal, privacy, and usage policies. - [Notifications](https://shariqrefai.com/notifications): Sign up for notifications about new book launches, new Perspectives essays, and major announcements from psychiatrist and author Shariq Refai, MD, MBA. - [Medical and educational disclaimer](https://shariqrefai.com/disclaimer): The medical and educational-use disclaimer for shariqrefai.com. This website is general education and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. - [Terms of use](https://shariqrefai.com/terms): Terms of use for shariqrefai.com. Educational and informational use only, no medical advice or physician-patient relationship is created by use of this site. - [Privacy policy](https://shariqrefai.com/privacy): Privacy policy for shariqrefai.com. How we handle the limited information collected through this educational author and media platform, and your choices. - [Cookies and analytics](https://shariqrefai.com/cookies): shariqrefai.com sets no tracking or advertising cookies and uses no analytics. This page explains the current state and what would change if that ever does. - [Copyright](https://shariqrefai.com/copyright): Copyright and intellectual property notice for shariqrefai.com. Books, articles, frameworks, branding, and educational materials are protected works. - [Accessibility](https://shariqrefai.com/accessibility): Accessibility statement for shariqrefai.com: WCAG 2.2 Level AA conformance, our evaluation method, and how to report any accessibility barrier you find. - [Community guidelines](https://shariqrefai.com/community-guidelines): Community guidelines, comment policy, and user content terms for shariqrefai.com, covering comments, quizzes, forums, and any AI-assisted reader tools. ## Notes - shariqrefai.com is an educational author and media platform and does not provide clinical care. For clinical care, see shrinkMD at https://shrinkmd.com. - For media, speaking, or publishing inquiries, use the contact page at https://shariqrefai.com/contact. - The Shrink Network is an umbrella of independent, clinically reviewed editorial publications founded and medically reviewed by Dr. Refai, at https://shrinknetwork.com.