Describe the disruptions in your daily life first, rather than the name of the disease
Sleep, body alarms, mood, and medication
Categorized by initial symptoms and safety boundaries
We do not group insomnia, anxiety, panic, and depression under the single word 'mind'. Check the order in which your sleep, heart rate, breathing, digestion, body heat, and energy levels changed, and identify any new symptoms that appeared after changing existing treatments or medications.
Start with the clues you see now rather than the name of the disease
Choose the most difficult current situation rather than the name of the disease
Narrow down the guide based on sleep, body alarms, mood, repetitive behaviors, or medication concerns.
Guide to 20 conditions in total
Insomnia · Waking up frequently · Daytime sleepiness · Leg discomfort
Sleep and Sleep Rhythm
We categorize not only the time it takes to fall asleep, but also sleep breathing, leg sensations, rhythm, and next-day functioning.
Chronic Insomnia
Insomnia is a state where it is difficult to fall asleep, or you wake up frequently or too early despite having the opportunity to sleep, leading to instability in concentration, mood, and work the following day. We record not only the time it takes to fall asleep but also nighttime awakenings, final wake-up time, daytime sleepiness, and fatigue. We aim to reduce the time spent enduring while checking the clock and restore a consistent wake-up time and daytime concentration. For loud snoring, sleep apnea, drowsy driving, euphoria where you do not feel tired despite lack of sleep, or thoughts of self-harm, please seek the relevant medical evaluation first.
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Sleep-Wake Rhythm Disorder
Sleep-wake rhythm disorder is a state where the body's sleep timing is out of sync with social schedules, rather than a lack of ability to sleep itself. We distinguish between late-sleeping habits, delayed sleep phase, shift work, jet lag, and light exposure issues, confirming actual times through a sleep diary for at least 1–2 weeks. Instead of repeating failed attempts to force an early bedtime, we realistically move up wake-up, light exposure, meal, and activity times. Driving after staying up all night, microsleep during shift work, or symptoms suggesting mania such as euphoria, overspending, or rapid speech must be evaluated separately immediately.
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Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders do not only mean insomnia. They include snoring, sleep apnea, leg discomfort, abnormal behaviors during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, and misalignment of sleep timing. The scope of Korean herbal medicine treatment can be determined only after categorizing the specific type of sleep problem. The goal is to regain safe daytime alertness and a sense of recovery rather than just increasing sleep time, and to ensure necessary sleep tests are not missed. In cases of drowsy driving, risk of workplace accidents, sleep apnea, or injuries due to abnormal behaviors during sleep, a professional sleep evaluation takes priority.
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Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless Legs Syndrome is characterized by an uncomfortable urge to move the legs when staying still, which improves temporarily upon movement and typically worsens in the evening or at night. We check iron levels, pregnancy, kidney disease, medications, and the presence of periodic limb movements. Reduce walking time before sleep and lower leg discomfort that interferes with meetings, driving, or sleep. If you experience swelling, heat, or pain in one leg, new muscle weakness, or drowsiness while driving, seek a medical evaluation first rather than waiting, as these may not be restless legs syndrome.
View Condition Guide →Anxiety · Panic · Avoidance · Hwabyung (suppressed anger syndrome)
Anxiety and the Body's Alarm
We examine the sequence connecting heart rate, breathing, sweating, and gastrointestinal reactions with anxiety and avoidance.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is a condition involving unexpected panic attacks and a subsequent process of changing behavior due to the fear of recurrence. Chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, and abdominal discomfort are actual physical symptoms; however, for new attacks, other causes such as heart, respiratory, or thyroid issues are checked first. Rather than just counting the number of attacks, the goal is to recover daily functioning by reducing frequent pulse checks, repeated emergency room visits, and the avoidance of subways or driving. Severe chest pain, fainting, neurological symptoms experienced for the first time, or urges for self-harm should not be dismissed as familiar panic.
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Agoraphobia and Avoidance of Going Out
Agoraphobia is a pattern of avoiding movement not because of the size of a specific place, but due to the fear that it will be difficult to escape or receive help if a panic attack or distress occurs. It is distinguished from panic attacks, fear of social evaluation, and the risk of dizziness or fainting, and an actual avoidance map is created. Even if panic attacks decrease, if the distance one can travel alone and the dependence on a companion remain the same, the number of attacks and mobility function are recorded separately to redefine the next treatment goal. If there is fainting, new neurological symptoms, severe chest pain, or an increased risk of self-harm, a medical safety evaluation takes priority over exposure practice.
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Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety disorder is a state where anxiety persists across various situations beyond temporary worry, disrupting sleep, concentration, relationships, and causing physical tension. Since palpitations, tremors, and gastrointestinal discomfort can have other causes, the effects of thyroid issues, heart conditions, hypoglycemia, medications, and caffeine are checked first. Rather than waiting for anxiety to disappear completely, the goal is to expand the range of necessary conversations, movement, and sleep, and to observe whether functions such as sleep, eating, and going out return first even if feelings of anxiety remain. Chest pain, fainting, difficulty breathing, thoughts of self-harm, or a state of euphoria despite almost no sleep require immediate medical evaluation as a priority.
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Social Anxiety · Interpersonal Tension
Social anxiety is not simple introversion, but a state where strong anxiety and avoidance in situations where one is evaluated by others recur, limiting academic, professional, and personal relationships. We examine whether this is limited to presentations or has expanded to daily conversations, meals, and phone calls, and whether alcohol is used to cope. The goal is to restore the ability to complete presentations, phone calls, and meals even if anxiety exists, rather than achieving a tremor-free perfection. If you rely on alcohol or sedatives daily, or if depression and thoughts of self-harm are present, safety and dependency evaluations are prioritized.
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Hwabyung
Hwabyung can be understood as a culture-bound syndrome where emotions such as feelings of unfairness, anger, and frustration appear together with chest congestion, heat sensations, sighing, throbbing, and digestive discomfort. Since it can overlap with heart issues, thyroid problems, menopause, or panic disorder, we also check for changes in the chest, heat sensations, sleep, and digestion that occur alongside emotions. Rather than choosing between the extremes of suppressing or exploding anger, we aim to reduce the recovery time for the chest, heat, sleep, digestion, and emotional reactions. Chest pain, fainting, sudden weight changes, or impulses to harm oneself or others are evaluated first without waiting for a Hwabyung diagnosis.
View Condition Guide →Depression · Burnout · Brain fog · Somatization
Mood · Concentration · Burnout
Rather than a single word for mood, we check for loss of daily functioning in sleep, appetite, energy, and concentration.
Burnout · Exhaustion after overwork
Burnout is a term used to describe exhaustion related to occupational or caregiving stress; it is not a diagnostic name for all types of lethargy. After checking for depression, insomnia, anemia, thyroid issues, post-infection fatigue, and medication effects, we organize emotional exhaustion, detachment, and decreased work efficacy within the context of daily life. Rather than simply expecting a return to normal after a vacation, we redesign sleep, meal, and work boundaries and a sustainable level of activity. Symptoms suggesting self-harm thoughts, severe weight loss, fever, chest pain, fainting, or mania are not explained as burnout.
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Brain fog · Decreased concentration
Brain fog is not a single disease name, but an expression that groups experiences of blurred concentration, processing speed, and memory recall. We distinguish between sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression, medication, anemia, thyroid issues, post-infection states, and neurological problems, and record function based on the duration of reading, conversation, and screen time. The goal is to restore the time one can sustain reading, conversation, decision-making, and screen-based work, rather than focusing on the intensity of the cloudiness. Sudden confusion, slurred speech, one-sided weakness, severe headache, or changes in consciousness are not treated as brain fog.
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Somatization Anxiety and Autonomic Nervous System Symptoms
Somatization anxiety and autonomic nervous system symptoms do not mean that the physical symptoms are fake. While verifying cardiac, endocrine, neurological, or medication-related causes as necessary, we examine the moments when symptoms begin, the sequence in which attention and fear increase, and factors such as sleep, diet, body heat, and recovery time. If the direction changes, such as new chest pain, fainting, difficulty breathing, paralysis, persistent vomiting, or suspected hypoglycemia, the patient will be re-evaluated. If the same pattern repeats after major abnormalities have already been ruled out, we reduce the time spent repeating tests or constantly checking the body and safely restore necessary activities.
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Depression
Depression is a disorder that impairs functioning through not only a sad mood but also loss of interest, changes in sleep and appetite, fatigue, poor concentration, guilt, and thoughts of death. We check for possibilities of anemia, thyroid issues, pain, medication side effects, and bipolar disorder. Rather than simply raising mood scores, we reconnect basic functions such as washing, eating, going to work, and conversing. Thoughts or plans of suicide, inability to eat or drink, delusions, hallucinations, or a state of euphoria despite almost no sleep require immediate mental health and emergency evaluation.
View condition guide →Nightmares · Startle response · Avoidance · Repetitive behaviors
Trauma, Obsession, and Safety
We do not force details of the event, but instead share the focus on current safety, professional treatment, and the accompanying physical burden.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a disorder where unwanted obsessive thoughts and repetitive behaviors or mental rituals to reduce anxiety consume time and limit functioning. We distinguish this from simple meticulousness, clarify the role of exposure and response prevention therapy, and use Korean medicine treatment to manage accompanying burdens such as sleep, tension, and digestion. Rather than trying to completely eliminate thoughts, we continue professional treatment to reduce the time lost to repetitive behaviors and the burden on sleep. Thoughts of self-harm, impaired reality testing, nutritional or skin damage, or obsessions so severe that one cannot leave the house prioritize treatment by a psychiatry department.
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Post-Traumatic Stress
Post-traumatic stress is a condition where re-experiencing the event, avoiding related scenes, constant hyperarousal, and changes in thoughts and mood persist for more than a month and disrupt functioning. We do not force the patient to speak about the details of the event; instead, we first verify current safety, sleep, and situations that trigger the symptoms. While maintaining trauma-focused therapy and a safety plan, we lower the burden of nightmares, startle responses, sleep loss, and physical tension. Risk of self-harm or harm to others, safety issues due to dissociation, psychosis, severe alcohol or drug use prioritize immediate professional treatment.
View condition guide →Sleeping pills · Anxiolytics · Antidepressants · Safety of combined use
Medical Care for Medication and Tapering
The prescribing physician determines the tapering speed, while Korean medicine treatment handles symptom documentation, combined use safety, and the recovery environment.
Medical Care for Benzodiazepine Tapering
If benzodiazepines have been taken regularly for more than one month, abrupt discontinuation must be avoided. Physical dependence is different from a lack of willpower, and the prescriber must establish a gradual plan for each patient. Korean medicine treatment does not dictate dosages but shares changes in sleep, anxiety, heart rate, digestion, and energy levels during the tapering phase. Instead of increasing the speed or stopping on your own, we create a safety net for daily life and a record of symptoms that can be adjusted with the prescriber. Seizures, hallucinations, psychosis, delirium, or suicidal urges may indicate severe withdrawal and require immediate emergency evaluation.
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Medical Care for Sleeping Pill Tapering
Tapering sleeping pills is not a process of replacing medication with herbal medicine or quitting within a fixed period. The prescriber determines the speed based on the type of medication, duration of use, comorbid conditions, and previous responses to tapering; Korean medicine treatment supports this plan by recording rebound insomnia, throbbing, gastrointestinal discomfort, and daytime functioning. Rather than focusing on a discontinuation date, we record fluctuations in sleep and daytime functioning while safely passing through the phases agreed upon with the prescriber. Seizures, changes in consciousness, severe confusion, thoughts of self-harm, or the combined use of alcohol and sedatives require immediate consultation with the prescriber or an emergency evaluation.
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Safety of Concurrent Use of Mental Health Medication and Herbal Medicine
The possibility of combining mental health medications and Korean herbal medicine cannot be determined by a single sentence saying, "It is okay to take them together." One must gather the medication names, dosages, administration times, prescribers, liver/kidney diseases, alcohol consumption, and supplements on a single sheet to check for overlapping sedation, bleeding, blood pressure, metabolism, and individual interactions. Share the same medication list with each institution and track changes in drowsiness, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, and sleep without stopping medication arbitrarily.
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Medical Care for Zolpidem/Z-drug Tapering
For the tapering of Z-drugs such as Zolpidem, the administration time, duration, effects, side effects, other sedative medications, and alcohol use must be checked first. Do not judge on your own that the original insomnia has returned based solely on rebound insomnia; the prescriber determines the speed, and Korean medicine treatment concurrently manages the sleep diary and the body's arousal burden. We reduce the anxiety of deciding alone every day whether to take the medication and maintain the prescriber's plan along with consistent wake-up times and daytime functioning. Immediately notify the prescriber of complex sleep behaviors such as driving, cooking, or going out during sleep, falls, memory gaps, or combined use with alcohol.
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Combined care for antidepressant discontinuation syndrome
Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome can occur after tapering or stopping medication and includes dizziness, nausea, sleep changes, sensory abnormalities, anxiety, and mood changes. Because the onset timing, types of symptoms, and response to re-administration may differ from a relapse of the original depression or anxiety, these must be distinguished by the prescriber. Rather than concluding on your own that symptoms are a relapse or treatment failure, keep a daily record to re-evaluate the tapering speed with your prescriber. Suicidal thoughts, severe agitation, mania, psychosis, or dizziness so severe that you cannot stand require immediate priority for the prescriber or emergency medical care.
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