We welcome Aazaz Haq, MD, of the McLean Neuropsychiatric Treatment Center, to our community in McLean, Virginia. Dr. Haq is a psychiatrist certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in both Psychiatry and Geriatric Psychiatry.
Dr. Haq is a graduate of University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, where he also completed his psychiatric residency. Afterwards, he did a geriatric psychiatric fellowship at UCLA. He has worked in various clinical settings—including inpatient units, nursing homes, and academic centers. He is a former Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University.
The primary focus of Dr. Haq’s practice is the care and management of patients with treatment-resistant depression—that is, persistent depression that does not improve with psychotherapy and/or medications alone. Dr. Haq prides himself on carefully evaluating the nature of each patient’s depressive symptoms and arriving at an individualized plan of care. He recognizes the unique challenges that depression poses for patients and prioritizes forming a close therapeutic alliance with each of his patients.
Advanced techniques offered at the McLean Neuropsychiatric Treatment Center to treat depression are:
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)– TMS uses targeted magnetic pulses to stimulate activity in parts of the brain that are underactive in individuals with depression.
- Esketamine (Spravato) – Esketamine is an FDA-approved nasal spray that is fast acting compared with conventional antidepressants. When prescribed with an oral antidepressant, response rates for depression are greater than 50%.
- Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) – The gold standard treatment for severe depression. This misunderstood treatment has up to an 80% response rate in patients.
- Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) – Traditionally used for epilepsy, VNS has increasing evidence in providing relief for patients with depression. The VNS device sends regular, mild pulses of electrical energy to the vagus nerve. Dr. Haq’s practice is part of a nationwide research on VNS in depression.
Other psychiatric issues that Dr. Haq treats include anxiety and bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, and PTSD. He is an expert in Geriatric Psychiatry. He has served as an expert witness in numerous cases involving elder financial abuse. Dr. Haq’s practice accepts most insurance carriers, including Medicare and Medicaid. The clinic’s website is www.mcleanntc.com
Dr. Haq has always had an affinity for the Washington DC, metropolitan area. He decided to make his roots here because of extensive family in the vicinity. Please welcome the newest star to the local medical community!
