More Young Koreans Suffer from Panic Attacks

Published on 2019/12/29 | Source

A prolonged slump in Korea's job market has caused stress levels to peak among young jobseekers here, resulting in a sharp increase in patients seeking help for panic disorders.

The National Health Insurance Service on Monday said the number of people suffering from panic disorder surged 1.7 times from 93,525 in 2014 to 159,428 last year.

Patients in their 20s multiplied more than twice from 7,848 in 2014 to 18,851 last year.

Park Sun-young at the NHIC said, "Many people in their early to mid-20s have consulted doctors due to panic disorders, apparently due to stress from trying to find a job compounded by disputes with friends and badgering from parents".

But the largest group of patients were in their 40s with 24.4 percent (38,825), followed by those in their 50s (33,057).