ADHD Psychiatrist in New Jersey – Comprehensive Evaluation & Personalized Treatment for Adults
Is Untreated ADHD Quietly Running – and Ruining – Your Daily Life?
You can almost feel the time when you live in a constant state of exhaustion and don’t get a restful night’s sleep because you have ADHD.
Don’t mistake the tiredness of a hard working man. It’s the basic cheating of a brain that’s been challenged day in and day out, trying to concentrate when they can’t. It’s when people try to gear up and focus when they can’t.
When you experience this as an adult in New Jersey, it isn’t because you’re too lazy, you’re too irresponsible, or you have a poor character. The probability is very high that it is neurological. And treatable – it is probable.
Dr. John C. Shershow, M.D., is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist with decades of experience performing psychiatric evaluation & treatment of adults with ADHD and ADD. He now provides private teletouchup services for New Jersey residents that provide the same level of clinical care at his Manhattan practice, but without the commute.
How Adult ADHD Actually Looks – And Why It Gets Missed for So Long
ADHD is widely underdiagnosed in adults. Over the past 100 years, it was recognized as a disorder affecting children, and this remained the sole understanding for many years. Neurocognitive difficulties (concentration problems, impulsiveness, and executive dysfunction) were encouraged in adults to work harder; to become more organised and disciplined; to manage their own stress better.
This actually caused harm and it continues to cause harm.
These words may seem appropriate at one time or another: unreliable, disorganized, scattered, unfocused, underperforming – these are the labels that may have been laid upon you as an adult with ADHD that were never warranted. They actually had a neurodevelopmental disorder that can be helped with the proper psychiatric treatment.
New Jersey adult ADHD patients often present with the following:
- Repeatedly failing to maintain attention on tasks – even if tasks are desired
- Normal procrastination – starting is more difficult than it should be
- Working memory lapses – forgetting appointments, tasks and directions even with lots of concentration
- Failing to gauge time accurately; arriving late; missing change times
- Rapid frustration, intolerance of disruption, ‘emotional eruptions’
- Task Paralysis – not being able to start on complex tasks despite clear stake
- Restlessness in mental organs – all the brain generates noise and never lets it be fully silent
- Chronic disorganization – at work, in your home, in your finances, across relationships.
They are not personality traits. They are symptoms and symptoms can be treated with the right psychiatric evaluation and treatment.
What a Genuine ADHD Psychiatric Evaluation Looks Like
One of the most common concerns adults in New Jersey raise before their first appointment is simple: “I don’t know what to expect.”
Dr. Shershow’s evaluation process is comprehensive, respectful and precisely diagnostic. The point isn’t to come up with a quick answer, it is to come up with the correct answer.
A comprehensive ADHD evaluation with Dr. Shershow typically includes:
Full Psychiatric and Personal History
Dr. Shershow will be taking the time to understand you throughout your life – your childhood relationships, your schooling, performance over time, relationships, and how life looks and feels now. In making psychiatric diagnosis, context is incredibly important.
Functional Impact Assessment
The symptoms of ADHD interfere with functioning in several life domains. It delves in deeper exploration about how symptoms are impacting work performance, finances, relationships and self-perception, rather than if there is a tipping point on a checklist score.
Differential Diagnosis and Rule-Out
This test is a way of distinguishing a valid psychiatric appraisal from a symptom screening. Many anxiety and mood disorders, sleep problems, thyroid issues, and chronic stress can also display symptoms similar to ADHD. Some individuals with ADHD also have these conditions and some may have been confused with ADHD. Appropriate treatment depends on accurate diagnosis between the two.
Prior Treatment and Medication History
If the individual has received medication previously, for ADHD, anxiety, depression or any related condition, it helps a great deal to understand what has worked, what has NOT worked, and the reason for this – building a treatment plan that will work for you now is very important.
Open, Plain-Language Results Discussion
No clinical jargon passing off. Dr. Shershow discusses with you outright, the findings, the implications and all options to move forward.
Telehealth ADHD Psychiatry for New Jersey: The Same Quality of Care, Without the Commute
Dr. Shershow provides telehealth consultation for ADHD among adults across the state of New Jersey, including Bergen County, Essex County, Hudson County, Middlesex County, Morris County, Passaic County, Somerset County, Union County and beyond.
So, what is putting New Jersey adults in the comfort of their own homes using telepsychiatry with Dr. Shershow?
- No travel to Manhattan – full psychiatric expertise, available at your home or office
- Meetings made easy – flexible times for working adults and busy families
- Full clinical privacy – private visits without a waiting room
- Same thorough evaluation & follow-up that you would get in person
Clinically validated, well established standard of care includes telehealth psychiatric care, which encompasses evaluation, diagnosis, and medications for ADHD, among other services. Under New Jersey law, it is totally covered and has been proven to have the same results as face-to-face treatment.
“Dr. Shershow was kind, funny, intelligent, caring and was able to get me an acceptable plan for treatment.” — Patient Review
Why Finding the Right ADHD Psychiatrist in New Jersey Matters More Than You Think
Not all providers that claim to provide “ADHD care” are alike. Differences between a comprehensive psychiatric assessment by a Board Certified psychiatrist versus possibly a quick checklist visit by a GP or telepsychiatry platform are substantial and have bearing on results.
For diagnosis of ADHD, clinical judgment, not questionnaire score, is needed. It involves comprehending how the symptoms play out in your life history, your career requirements, your relationships and your other conditions, such as anxiety or depression, which might be contributing to or concealing your symptoms.
When an adult in NJ is looking for an ADHD psychiatrist in NJ, she or he wants a clinician whose whole practice is in adult mental health and not children’s care, and not general mental health care, and certainly not a rotation of several provider programs for telehealth. Dr. Shershow’s entire career has been devoted to building the kind of practice that he has created.
What sets Dr. Shershow apart:
- Board-Certified Psychiatrist – has full prescribing privileges and completed psychiatric training
- Adults-only practice – deep knowledge about the presentation, disruption and response of ADHD to treatment in adult patients
- Thorough clinical evaluations – 10-minute screening is not adequate, true psychiatric consultation
- Individualized medication management – suited to your clinical history, goals and lifestyle
- Telehealth appointments for all NJ residents – professional, private, and accessible via telehealth appointments
- Accepts United Healthcare out-of-network benefits
- Active in the American Psychiatric Association
Dr. Shershow feels that all patients are entitled to something more than just a prescription and renewal reminder. He is an extensive consultation practitioner. He makes the transition from his first to his second novel seamlessly. His goal is always the same, to assist you create an existence that pleases your neurology instead of contends with it.
Recognizing When It’s Time to Seek a Psychiatric Evaluation for ADHD
Often adults who may benefit from an evaluation with Dr. Shershow describe:
- Becoming overwhelmed with work tasks when another employee isn’t
- When their intelligence or their ambitions outweigh what they are able to achieve
- Difficulty retaining relationships due to forgetfulness, inconsistent behavior or emotional outbursts
- A job record consisting of laborious effort with disappointing results
- Being told throughout their life to “just focus” or “try harder”
- For years, they’ve thought there must be something different about the way their brain processes information, but without having it officially examined
It is not a failure if you are diagnosed with ADHD at any age. For most adults, it is their first time experiencing it for the first time, and by this point it means something. It’s the moment that they finally start to make sense of their first time, and creates a foundation for adults to build upon for their life that makes sense to their mind.
ADHD Treatment for New Jersey Adults: What Your Options Look Like
After a thorough exam, Dr. Shershow develops a treatment plan that is tailored to your clinical picture, lifestyle and goals.
Treatment for adult ADHD in New Jersey may include:
Psychiatric Medication Management
Many adults feel that the right ADHD medicine can form an entirely unique turning point to their everyday lives. There is a large amount of clinical experience with stimulants and non-stimulants that establishes their effectiveness and safety in the hands of a qualified psychiatrist. Dr. Shershow is responsible for choosing the right medications, starting the doses, and fine-tuning your dosage as needed according to how you’re responding.
Ongoing Psychiatric Follow-Up Care
Quickly correcting ADHD is an improvement that lasts a long time. Regular monitoring is part of good treatment; it is making sure that your treatment is still meeting your needs today and changing it around as your needs change. Dr. Shershow offers ongoing treatment, not just a prescription and a prescription pad.
Co-Occurring Condition Management
ADHD often occurs in combination with anxiety problems, depression, and sleep disturbances. The others are ignored, leading to scant benefits where one does keep up with management. When addressing co-occurring conditions, Dr. Shershow treats them in the bigger picture.
Behavioral and Organizational Guidance
Meds are one aspect of control over ADHD. Learning to process your brain and create structures to do so is another. Dr. Shershow uses strategy advice in his practice with every patient.
Schedule Your ADHD Psychiatric Consultation in New Jersey
Dr. John C. Shershow, M.D. is now open for ADHD evaluations and new patient telemedicine appointments in the state of NJ.
Accepts out of network benefits from United Healthcare. Registered in New York State and New Jersey.
Frequently Asked Questions — ADHD Psychiatrist New Jersey
Q: What does an ADHD psychiatrist actually do differently than a regular doctor?
Psychiatrists are fully licensed medical doctors that have taken part in a psychiatric residency after medical school. This course focuses on things that general practitioners, internists and nurse practitioners usually do not have the opportunity to learn from a clinical perspective, such as diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. Dr. Shershow, a Board Certified psychiatrist, can perform complex evaluations, differentiate ADHD from coexisting conditions, and prescribe and monitor psychiatric medications to a degree that requires specialized care. Effect on the condition: the distinction between specialist and generalist care makes all the difference for a condition as multifaceted as adult ADHD.
Q: I have never been diagnosed with ADHD before. Is it too late to seek an evaluation as an adult?
Nothing is too late and many people with ADHD aren’t diagnosed till they’re older. A large number of adults were never diagnosed as children because their symptoms were ‘concealed’ by structure or intelligence or coping mechanisms. Undiagnosed childhood ADHD does not “grow out of it”. However, in many cases, going to an adult profession and life make it impossible to compensate indefinitely. An accurate diagnosis at any age provides a gateway to treatment, self-understanding and positive changes in day-to-day function.
Q: Can telehealth ADHD care in New Jersey include medication management?
Legally and clinically, telehealth psychiatric services (such as medication assessment and management) are supported in NJ. Before beginning a medication discussion, Dr. Shershow performs a full telepsychiatric evaluation. Prescribing is always in compliance with Federal and State of New Jersey regulations as applicable. At your consultation, Dr. Shershow will be able to fully outline your situation and any medications that are appropriate or not and answer any questions you may have.
Q: How is ADHD different from just being anxious or stressed?
It is one of the most important clinical questions a psychiatrist will address, and is one that cannot be accurately answered by a quiz. Symptoms of anxiety, chronic stress, burnout and ADHD share similarities and can include: Problems in focus, restlessness, trouble finishing things, emotional dysregulation. The main differences are length of time, course of the problem, nature of the problem, and the differences in responder rates to ADHD or anxiety/mood treatment. In some patients, it can happen that both occur and need coordinated treatment. The only way to distinguish them is by accurate clinical assessment by a specialist.
Q: What should I bring or prepare for my first appointment with Dr. Shershow?
The best preparation is to be ready to openly discuss your history. Make sure you reflect on the way your focus and attention have impacted you in various ways, away from school, at work, in relationships etc. and more broadly over time. Previous psychiatric records, medication histories, documentation from previous evaluations, if one has some, are helpful but not necessary to begin with. Dr. Shershow will lead the conversation and inquire as to what he requires. You don’t have to bring a case and/or self-diagnosis; you are expected to come ready to tell your story.
Q: Does Dr. Shershow treat ADHD in New Jersey patients who also have anxiety or depression?
Yes. Anxiety and depression frequently occur in adults with ADHD; in fact, they occur together more often than not. They can be a result of years of untreated ADHD, legitimate co-diagnoses or as expressions of the issue that make ADHD more complex. Dr. Shershow’s assessments will go to great lengths to uncover all the conditions contributing to the symptoms. He or she takes into consideration the whole clinical problem and not merely the most obvious symptom.
Q: How often will I need to meet with Dr. Shershow after my initial evaluation?
Most patients will have subsequent review appointments with you after diagnosis and first treatment to see how it’s going, fine-tune treatment and address any new concerns. The frequency depends on the stage of treatment. As early as possible in patients beginning medication, you will check-in more often, but as you’re well managed and stable, you may check-in less often. Dr. Shershow does not work against your schedule and lifestyle, but with them.
Q: What if I tried ADHD medication before and it didn't work or had side effects?
Learning experiences about medication from the past are significant information and not a reason to take a break from medication. There are several different kinds of drugs to alleviate ADHD, a variety of drug forms and many methods of dosing these drugs. Many things that failed in the past could have been the wrong medications, a wrong dose of medication, or using medication without monitoring. Dr. Shershow examines your previous therapy to learn what went wrong and why, and designs your next course of action based on your nervous system’s previous response to the therapy.
Satisfied Patients
“Professional and thoughtful in his practice. Good listener. Genuinely wants the best for his patients..”
“I could not have asked for a better first visit with Dr. Shershow. He was kind, funny, intelligent and cared about my medications and what plan was best for me. “