Adult ADHD Second Opinion in New Jersey

People ask for a second opinion about adult ADHD for different reasons. Some were diagnosed after a short visit and want to be sure. Some were told they do not have ADHD and still struggle every day. Others have a diagnosis but a treatment plan that is not working. A second opinion is a fresh, complete psychiatric evaluation by a different clinician, using your history and records. It can confirm the first conclusion, change it, or add something that was missed.

When a second opinion is worth it

• The first evaluation was brief. NIMH notes that adult symptoms must have started before age 12 and cause problems in at least two areas of life, such as home, school or work. Because of that, diagnosis relies heavily on past behavior, which can take time to review. If no one asked about childhood, or no one talked with people who know you, a fuller evaluation may help.
• Something else may explain the symptoms. Clinicians are expected to include other mental disorders in the differential diagnosis, according to a 2024 review in American Family Physician. The same review lists anxiety, mood, personality, impulse control and substance use disorders among conditions that commonly occur alongside adult ADHD. NIMH reports that sleep problems affect up to 70% of adults with ADHD.
• Treatment is not helping, or side effects are hard to live with. A second look can reconsider the diagnosis, the medication, the timing or what else is going on.
• Two clinicians disagree. For example, one diagnosed ADHD and another diagnosed a mood disorder.
• You were told you "outgrew" ADHD. In the long-term MTA study, about 30% of children with ADHD had full remission at some point, but 60% of those saw symptoms return, and only 9.1% showed sustained recovery by young adulthood.

A second opinion cannot guarantee a different answer. Dr. Shershow's evaluation reaches its own conclusion, which may match the first one.

Your right to your records in New Jersey

A second opinion is more useful with the first clinician's records in hand. New Jersey's Board of Medical Examiners sets clear rules in N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.5, which applies to physicians and other licensees the board regulates:

The practice may require the request in writing, and a release to another clinician needs your signed authorization. Federal HIPAA rules also give you a right to access your records, generally within 30 days, with one extension of up to 30 more days if the practice tells you in writing. If you are switching clinicians rather than only asking for an opinion, switching ADHD psychiatrists in New Jersey covers the handoff.

What to bring

1. The first evaluation's written report or visit notes, and any rating scales you completed.
2. A list of every ADHD medication you have tried, with dates, what helped and what side effects you had. Do not worry about exact amounts; the prescription history can fill that in.
3. Old school report cards or teacher comments, if you can find them.
4. Results of any psychological or neuropsychological testing.
5. Your current medications, supplements and any recent lab work.
6. Your own questions, written down, including what you want the second opinion to answer.

If childhood records are gone, that does not end the conversation. A parent, sibling or long-time partner may be able to describe what you were like at school age.

Medication history and New Jersey's monitoring program

When a New Jersey practitioner starts prescribing a controlled dangerous substance, N.J.A.C. 13:35-7.6 requires a thorough history, an appropriate examination that considers coexisting conditions including anxiety and depression, a reasonable effort to obtain and review your medical record, a review of relevant data from the New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program, and a treatment plan. A second-opinion evaluation that leads to a change in medication follows the same rules. More on the program is in New Jersey's prescription monitoring program.

If the second opinion leads to a new prescriber taking over a stimulant by telehealth for a patient located in New Jersey, the in-person timelines of P.L.2026, c.40 come into play: an in-person visit within 30 days of a telehealth initial exam and at least once a year after that. The office will explain how visits are arranged for patients located in New Jersey.

What a second opinion here does and does not include

Dr. Shershow provides a psychiatric evaluation: a detailed clinical interview and review of your history and records, followed by what the evaluation found and the treatment options that fit. The practice does not offer psychological or neuropsychological testing. If the open question is a learning disability, or a school or testing agency asks for test scores, a licensed psychologist is the right referral. The difference is explained in ADHD testing vs a psychiatric evaluation in New Jersey.

How to start

Request your records first, since the 30-day clock starts when the practice receives your request. Then call Dr. Shershow's office or use the call-back form on this page. Tell the office it is a second opinion and what question you want answered. Fees, insurance and scheduling change over time, so ask the office directly. You can see what the full process covers on the adult ADHD evaluation page.