Vishesh Agarwal, M.D.

Chair of Addiction Medicine Services, Vice Chair of Department of Psychiatry ChristianaCare

Wilmington DE

Dr. Vishesh Agarwal is an addiction psychiatrist with a demonstrated history of working in the health care industry.

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Spotlight

May 29, 2025

2 min

Vishesh Agarwal, M.D., Appointed Chief of Addiction Medicine Services

Vishesh Agarwal, M.D., has been appointed chief of Addiction Medicine Services at ChristianaCare. In this role, Agarwal will lead and expand ChristianaCare’s comprehensive addiction treatment services, guiding care for people with substance use disorders across inpatient, outpatient, emergency and consultation settings. He will oversee addiction programs across all campuses, help create consistent care guidelines and support teams of experts working together to provide safe, effective and compassionate care for patients. A key priority for Agarwal will be to explore strategic growth opportunities to broaden ChristianaCare’s reach and strengthen its impact on individuals and families affected by substance use disorders. His leadership will be instrumental in ensuring that ChristianaCare continues to set the standard for innovation and excellence. Agarwal will continue in his role as vice chair of the Department of Psychiatry at ChristianaCare, maintaining his leadership of clinical and operational initiatives in the Behavioral Health Service Line. He will continue to lead efforts to improve provider well-being, develop care pathways and foster clinical growth. He also oversees the Behavioral Health Unit, Emergency Department crisis services and psychiatric consultations for hospitalized patients. Agarwal is board certified in general adult psychiatry, addiction psychiatry and obesity medicine. He has published research on substance use and behavioral addictions in peer-reviewed journals and has presented at national conferences. His 2021 study linking gambling disorder, major depression and suicide risk was published in Addictive Behaviors and gained national attention. Agarwal holds an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology and completed an addiction psychiatry fellowship at the Zucker Hillside Hospital. He completed his psychiatry residency and served as administrative chief resident at Einstein Medical Center. He earned his medical degree from Gauhati Medical College. Agarwal teaches and mentors psychiatry residents and medical students as a clinical assistant professor at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. He also co-chairs system committees and serves on the board of the Mental Health Association in Delaware. He reports to Mustafa Mufti, M.D., chair of the Department of Psychiatry.

Sep 18, 2024

2 min

Post-Pandemic: How Alcohol Is Harming the Health of More Women

The prevalence of alcohol-related complications has been steadily increasing over the years, but a significant surge occurred during the pandemic, particularly among women aged 40 to 64. According to a JAMA Health Forum report titled High-Acuity Alcohol-Related Complications During the COVID-19 Epidemic, there was a significant increase in severe alcohol-related complications in women and alcoholism. The majority of these, 54% to 66%, were alcohol-related liver disease; smaller numbers, 3% to 5% and 1% to 3% were attributed to alcohol-related cardiomyopathy and alcohol-related gastritis with bleeding, respectively. What the trends mean If these trends persist, the increases in alcohol-related complications will continue to harm women. There are several reasons explaining this increase. In addition to the overall increase in alcohol consumption, the pandemic exacerbated feelings of loneliness and uncertainty about the future. Additionally, lockdowns led to more time spent at home – an environment where alcohol is readily available. How alcohol affects women Women are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of alcohol due to differences in body structure and chemistry. They absorb more alcohol and take longer to metabolize it. This means smaller amounts of alcohol can cause more serious health issues. Also, the shift towards drinking at home, which was further made easier by convenient online shopping and home delivery during the pandemic, led to increased consumption without judgment. Addressing any substance misuse needs a multimodal approach. There are treatment options and medications that can help. It is important to wean yourself off alcohol with a doctor’s supervision, as withdrawal can be severe and dangerous. Getting help Health care providers, patients and their loved ones can all partner in enhancing education and awareness about alcohol use risks and reducing stigma in seeking treatment when needed. It’s important for women to recognize that they are not alone and that help is available. It is a difficult addiction for anyone to go through, but education and support can significantly improve outcomes.

Sep 17, 2024

1 min

Sports Betting: High Stakes at a Young Age

While life may feel like a game, gambling addiction is far from child’s play. Young people are particularly vulnerable and at higher risk for gambling disorders. For those still engaged in their athletic days or recently cut from the team, sports betting may be a particular draw by familiarity. The rush from gambling is not all about winning but about the excitement and thrill of the gamble itself. It can quickly become a behavioral disorder. Why are young people at risk? Young people are particularly at risk since their brains are not yet fully developed, and they indulge in more risk-taking and reward-seeking behaviors. Also, they may have fewer responsibilities and lesser accountability for their losses. The rise of smartphones has made sports betting more accessible than ever. Young people are particularly attached to their phones. It’s not mobile phone addiction but cell phone dependence coupled with the fact there is no judgment when gambling online. The anonymity can make them more likely to take the risk. Recognize red flags It is crucial to identify problem behaviors. Warning signs include: Emotional – increased anxiety and irritability, limited frustration tolerance, inability to concentrate on other activities when not gambling. Behavioral – negative effects on personal, social and work or school responsibilities. If you see or experience these signs, seek help. You or your loved one may benefit from counseling that involves cognitive behavioral therapy, which can reframe their thinking and reinforce positive behaviors over gambling.

Biography

Dr. Vishesh Agarwal is Chief of Addiction Medicine Services at ChristianaCare and a board-certified psychiatrist in general adult and addiction psychiatry. He also oversees the health system’s state-of-the-art behavioral health unit, the embedded crisis units in ChristianaCare’s emergency departments, and serves as a consult liaison for medical floors. Dr. Agarwal is skilled in psychiatric epidemiology, population health and health care management as it relates to behavioral health. His research on substance use disorders and behavioral addictions is frequently published in peer-reviewed medical journals.

Areas of Expertise

Evidence Based Care

Smoking Cessation

Behavioral Addictions

Inpatient Psychiatrist

Addiction Psychiatry

Psychiatry

Crisis Intervention

Risk Assessment

Education

Gauhati Medical College

M.D.

Multimedia

Links and Image Galleries

Downloadable Photos of Dr. Vishesh Agarwal

Media Appearances

Too much smartphone time may invite host of health woes

News24

2019-07-19

With most people never far from their cellphones, new research on college students finds that “problematic” use is tied to a variety of mental health problems, as well as lower grades and more sexual partners.

Krokodil: ‘Zombie Drug’ Scare Hits U.S.

Psychiatric News: The American Psychiatric Association (APA)

2014-03-07

Krokodil, the so called “flesh-eating zombie drug,” is the newest addictive drug to reportedly hit the United States. Scary photographs showing deep wounds on people’s extremities abound on the Internet. Television news programs have given us a number of interviews with emergency room physicians who have alerted the public on the dangers of this latest drug menace. How much of this is true, and how much is simply hype?

Selected Papers and Publications

Gambling in patients with major depressive disorder is associated with an elevated risk of Suicide: Insights from 12-years of Nationwide inpatient sample data

Addictive Behaviors

2021
There is a frequent occurrence of gambling disorder (GD) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Psychiatric comorbidities can present more severely in patients diagnosed with pathological gambling. There is limited information on symptom trends in MDD patients with GD, particularly in association with suicidality.

Simple Schizophrenia Remains a Complicated Diagnosis Case Report and Literature Review

The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease

2016
The diagnosis of simple schizophrenia has been challenged and criticized since it was first described by Otto Diem in 1903. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), released by the American Psychiatric Association in May 2013, classified it as a condition for further study with the name “attenuated psychosis syndrome.” This clinical condition has undergone several revisions with each edition of the DSM.

Art therapy in a patient with bipolor disorder: pictures speak more than a thousand words

Psychiatric Times

2014
Art therapy is defined by the American Art Therapy Association as "a mental health profession in which clients, facilitated by the art therapist, use art media, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety, and increase self-esteem

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External Service & Affiliations

American Psychiatry Association : Member
Indo American Psychiatric Association : Member
American Society of Addiction Medicine : Member
American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology : Member