About
Bio
Board certified in psychiatry, I provide medication evaluation and management. I am experienced in both psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. I also provide group and couples therapy services. Comfortable treating a wide range of psychiatric issues, I also provide services to professionals and executives (physicians, executives, lawyers, etc) understanding the unique stresses and challenges professionals and executives face.
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Psychiatry
Licenses
United States: California
Doctor Q&A
128 Answers
91 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
A dangerous problem: Cocaine is a highly addictive drug that strongly hijacks your pleasure center. Casual use can easily lead to health, social, and legal consequences. ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Depends: The question is a little vague. For example, it is perfectly normal to become joyous (from feeling sad) after hearing very good news or vice versa af... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Stimulant>Nonstim: In general, for adhd, stimulant treatment has been shown to have greater efficacy and work faster than nonstimulants. Nonstimulants are helpful, but ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Not hallucinations: Anxiety, when severe enough as in a panic attack, can cause "tunnel vision" where all you see is that which is in front of you. This is due to the eff... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Yes: Generalized anxiety disorder (gad) is global worry (about everything) all day everyday for 6 months or more causing decreased function in life activit... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Other alternatives: Talk to you child psychiatrist or pediatrician to review other alternatives. With the non stimulants, there is Guanfacine (tenex (guanfacine) or intu... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Yes: Antidepressants in general can cause sexual side effects, which include decreased interest, inability to maintain an erection (in men) or maintain aro... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Some chance: There is robust evidence of the genetic heritability of adhd. Twin studies and family studies point to a genetic heritability of up to 60%. A siblin... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Yes: Although kids and teens may develop symptoms that look a little different. Usually, one notices that grades and socializing suffer. Instead of feeli... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Causes and symptoms: Depression can result from stressors, chronic stress, substances, genetics, among other things. Major depressive episode consists of 4 of the followi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Yes, but depends: There are many studies that support online psychotherapy. The most supported types of online psychotherapy are grounded in cognitive behavioral therap... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old female asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Talk to your MD: It would be good to talk to your md about these side effects. Normally, if Celexa (citalopram) caused only sleepiness, taking it at night is useful. ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Talk to your MD: This may mean that your medication regimen as well as your social/physical activities may need an adjustment. Talk to your psychiatrist to review you... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Stress management: Stress can have large negative impact on your sex drive. It helps then to find ways to manage your stress and stressors through activities such as ex... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
It can: Paxil or paroxetine is an ssri that can result in weight gain due to its antihistamine effect (causes sleepiness and appetite increase in some). This... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 18-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Depression=Episodic: Major depression, in general, is episodic--it comes and eventually goes away. The risk for future depressive episodes increase the more episodes you ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
No: Flagyl or Metronidazole inhibits an enzyme that facilitates the metabolism of a byproduct of alcohol metabolism that causes all of those effects when ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Lingering sleepiness: Depending on the length of your flight and if you took ambien/zolpidem when you took off, you may still feel sleepy, groggy, or a "hung-over" feeling.... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Varies: Intensive psychotherapy can refer to many types of psychotherapy, but has the common factor of very frequent visits. This can be twice a week or even ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Depends: Sometimes a depressive episode for someone with bipolar disorder can come out of nowhere. Other times, a depressive episode may follow a manic or hyp... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Newer Antipsychotic: Risperidone is a second generation antipsychotic that is fda approved for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and behavioral issues with autism. It is g... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Not sure: Being a hypochondriac means a lot of anxiety around your physical health status and worrying that any physical signal (pain, itch, etc) means there is... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Stress Management: I think i answered similar. Stress can have large negative impact on your sex drive. It helps then to find ways to manage your stress and stressors t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Not really: At worst, revenge can backfire and worsen or escalate the bullying. Revenge can also turn the victim into a bully. Generally assertiveness technique... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Relaxation tricks: This is a normal response to a stressful situation. Beforehand, preparation and practice can help you feel more at ease with the process. It may be ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Terms: Clinical depression, or major depression, consists of at least two weeks of feeling depressed alongside 4 of the following: changes in sleep, changes ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Symptom profile: Schizophrenia, disorganized type predominantly has symptoms of disorganized thought processes usually resulting in speech content that may even be inc... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
About 4-7 days: Geodon or ziprasidone tends to have sedating effects during the beginning of treatment, making someone drowsy. These effects tend to go away after 4-... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Higher risk: A study in the lancet (2009) showed that if sibling a has bipolar, the sibling b is 8 times more likely to develop bipolar disorder. Other studies pl... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Possible: Although not that common, seroquel/quetiapine can cause a rash and, in very rare cases, a severe rash called stevens-johnson that is an emergency. Re... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Depressed mood: Depressed mood or inability to feel pleasure in things are the more prominent signs of a major depressive episode. Other symptoms include changes in s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Depends: If the length of time you have not taken fluoxetine has been greater than 2 weeks, then restarting fluoxetine will require 2-4 weeks of taking it regu... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Trazodone/Desyrel: Trazodone is an antidepressant often use to help with sleep. It can cause sleepiness, a hung-over feeling the next day, blurred vision, dry mouth, in... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Criteria, seek help: If you are suspecting depression in yourself, seek assistance and an evaluation from your doctor. Major depressive episode consists of 4 of the follo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Yes, however: Clozaril/clozapine is an effective antipsychotic medication with many cautions requiring regular blood tests. It can be effective for severe or diffi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
A 20-year-old male asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Not directly: People with adhd suffer from the negative effects on their work and relationships at times. This can lead to low self-esteem and perhaps lead to majo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
SSRIs: Zoloft or sertraline commonly results in nausea, dry mouth, upset stomach, constipation within the first several weeks, but these should go away. Oth... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Rare side effect: It is a rare side effect of zoloft/sertraline, where the taste changes can include a metallic taste in the mouth. This is a rare occurrence with ssri... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Not necessarily: Adhd is a developmental problem in some of the frontal lobe circuits that result in inattention, distraction, hyperactivity, and impulsivity symptoms.... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Depends: Generally, cognitive behavioral therapy for depression takes around 4-8 weeks to take some effect and up to 12 weeks. The factors that greatly improv... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old female asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Delirium: Delirium is essentially brain failure and is caused by a variety of things. What you described - infection and metabolic disturbance while being in t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Rapid breathing: Hyperventilation is essentially when someone breathes rapidly. There can be many normal and abnormal causes to rapid breathing. It is the other symp... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Sleep Aid 1-3 mg : Lunesta (eszopiclone) or Eszopiclone is a short-acting nonbenzodiazepine sedative. This means that it is not as addictive as benzodiazepines, but it ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
No -an antipsychotic: Seroquel, or quetiapine, is a second generation antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders and bipolar disorder. It has ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
There is risk: The risk is not 100%, but it is higher for your baby than if you did not have bipolar. There is also an increased risk for anxiety disorders and mood... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Can occur: Fluoxetine can cause mydriasis (pupil dilation) as one of the possible side effects given its effects on your autonomic nervous system (sweating/diaph... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
4-7 days: Depending on the dose started and the schedule to increase to a target dose, generally 4-7 days one should see results (less symptoms overall).
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
A while: Since you took prozac/fluoxetine for only 4 days, it should leave your system in about 1 - 2 weeks completely. In general, if someone has been taking... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Motivational int: The specific type of therapy that has proven quite effective for alcoholism or alcohol dependence is called motivational interviewing, which identifie... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 23-year-old member asked:
Dr. Chris Esguerraanswered
Psychiatry 18 years experience
Use as directed: Effexor/venlafaxine when taken according to the directions will help you with some possible side effects. It will not kill you. Of course if you feel ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
5
Recommendations
340
Thank you notes
Sep 11, 2012
An excellent psychiatrist - compassionate, competent and good at explaining things.
Nov 3, 2012
Chris is a very bright, compassionate and competent psychiatrist.
Sep 17, 2013
Excellent answers for completeness and accuracy.
HealthTap member
Thank you! I hope docs can help her soon. She has tried to leave the hospital and now has hospital staff sitting with her 24hrs a day. She insists she's being discharged, but she has not been. Awating...Read More
HealthTap member
thanks! yes you did answer similar, the first time i asked it it didnt seem to have registered on my health tap so i think ive accidentally asked it like 3 times! thanks for your time anyway x
HealthTap member
Well I didn't quiet understand what it ment and I would like for it to be something I could just read next time but e for effort!
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, CA,2005,2005
Graduated 2005MD
Residency
San Mateo County Psychiatry Training Program
Completed 2009
Awards
Most Influential, Second Place, the San Mateo County Region - Spring
2017
Top Psychiatrist, First Place, the San Mateo County Region - Spring
2017
HealthTap Founding Doctor
Affiliations
American Psychiatric Association
American Society of Addiction Medicine
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