Panic Disorder
- Main features
- Repeated unexpected panic attacks, followed by worry or avoidance
- Main fear
- "I'm afraid I'll suddenly be unable to breathe or collapse again."
Panic disorder: caring for daily life beyond the palpitations
We set the direction of treatment by looking at anxiety on the commute, in meetings, and before sleep, along with your body's signals and changes in daily life.
How does Cheong-dam treat panic disorder?
Panic Disorder— when we treat it, we also ask how your day has changed because of the fear that "it might happen again." The same palpitations mean something different for someone whose symptoms worsen after a sleepless night, someone who skips meals because of an upset stomach, and someone who has started avoiding the commute. At Cheong-dam, we check how your symptoms appear along with your sleep, digestion, and tension, as well as previous tests and medications. We start by identifying what troubles you most right now and set treatment priorities accordingly.
What happens on my first visit?
Please start by telling us when the symptoms first appeared, the situations in which they recur, and what is hardest in your daily life right now. If you have test results or prescriptions, we will review them together. After the examination, we explain which treatments we are considering and what changes we will watch for. If another test or a psychiatric evaluation is needed first, we explain why.
Panic Disorder,Check your symptoms
This does not replace a diagnosis. Share your answers during your visit.
Sudden, intense fear
A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear accompanied by symptoms such as a pounding heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, and cold sweats. You may even feel as if you are about to collapse or die. If such attacks recur in unexpected situations and are followed by worry about having another attack or avoidance of going out or traveling, it is worth checking for panic disorder. Because palpitations and breathing difficulties can also occur with physical illnesses, we examine both the pattern and the cause of the symptoms.
※Panic disorder is not diagnosed from a single episode of sudden fear or palpitations alone. In the consultation, we check for recurring unexpected attacks and for worry or avoidance behavior lasting a month or more after an attack.
If symptoms recur or interfere with daily life, please tell us when they occur and what medications you take at your visit.
Sudden waves of fear differ from long-lasting worry
Generalized anxiety disorder
- Main features
- Persistent, excessive worry about many things such as health, work, or family
- Main fear
- "Even when nothing is wrong, I can't relax because I feel something bad will happen."
We set treatment priorities based on what troubles you now
Herbal medicine
We assess whether a prescription is needed by looking at sleep, digestion, fatigue, and tension together. We check the medications you are taking, explain the purpose of the prescription and how to take it, and adjust it according to your response.
Acupuncture
Through examination, we check for accompanying neck and shoulder tension and physical discomfort. We decide the areas and stimulation intensity, and proceed while paying attention to any discomfort you feel during treatment.
Counseling & lifestyle care
We go over the situations in which symptoms recur and your daily rhythm. We start with what can be changed now, such as sleep, caffeine, and tension at work, and also advise on psychiatric treatment when needed.
Care you understand,from the reason for each prescription to your progress
- STEP 01
Booking & questionnaire
Note your symptoms and when they started, and prepare previous test results and a list of your medications.
- STEP 02
Examination & consultation
We check the pattern of attacks, the anxiety that follows, sleep, and digestion, and determine whether further evaluation is needed.
- STEP 03
Treatment plan
We explain which issues will be treated, along with methods, frequency, and cost, and set a plan you can continue around your schedule.
- STEP 04
Progress check
We adjust treatment according to your response, watching the number of attacks, sleep, physical discomfort, and changes in activities you had been avoiding.
Simple steps you can take outside the clinic
- Keep a consistent wake-up time, even on weekends
- Review how much coffee, energy drinks, and alcohol you consume
- When tense, breathe slowly and comfortably rather than forcing deep breaths
- Keep up regular walking and light activity without overdoing it
Panic Disorder — health stories
References: NICE CG113, Generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults (2011, updated 2020). NIMH, Panic Disorder: What You Need to Know (2025). Emergency symptoms: NHS Chest pain / Shortness of breath (checked 2026-11-11).
FAQ
For any other questions, please ask when booking your visit.
If I have palpitations or feel short of breath, does that mean I have panic disorder?
Symptoms alone are not enough to decide. If you experience severe chest pain for the first time, unusual shortness of breath, or fainting, emergency evaluation comes first. Even if previous tests were normal, symptoms that have changed should be checked again. When panic is suspected, we also look at whether attacks recur, the worry that follows, and changes in daily life.
Can I receive care here while being treated by a psychiatrist?
Yes. After checking your current diagnosis, medications, and treatment progress, we decide whether Korean medicine care can be provided alongside it. Panic disorder is treated with approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy and medication. At Cheong-dam, we take your existing treatment into account while addressing accompanying issues such as sleep, digestion, and tension, and when needed we advise you to consult your treating physician.
How should I tell you about the medications I'm taking?
Please bring your prescription or a photo of the medicine bag showing the name, dose, and frequency. It also helps to tell us about supplements and diet pills. Reducing or stopping existing medication must be discussed with the prescribing doctor; we do not change it simply because you have started herbal medicine.
What should I prepare before my visit?
One or two recent situations in which symptoms appeared are enough. Think about when they started, how long they lasted, and whether you have avoided anything since. Changes in sleep, meals, or caffeine intake are also helpful. You don't need to prepare a long explanation; we will ask about what we need during the consultation.
How long will treatment take?
We do not set the same period for everyone from the start. We make an initial plan after checking how long symptoms have lasted, your current treatment, and their impact on daily life. We then adjust the visit schedule and treatment as we monitor the frequency and intensity of attacks, sleep and meals, and changes in commuting or going out.
Can I find out consultation and treatment costs in advance?
If you receive a consultation only, the consultation fee is KRW 30,000. If you receive an herbal prescription or acupuncture on the same day, no separate consultation fee is charged. Treatment and prescription costs vary by item and are explained before proceeding. You can ask about the consultation fee and item costs by phone or KakaoTalk before booking.
