What to Expect from a Mental Health Assessment for Panic Disorder

The clinician may ask what happens before, during and after an episode, including racing heartbeat, breathlessness, dizziness, trembling or a sense of losing control. They may ask whether attacks are unexpected, whether you worry about another episode, and whether you avoid places or activities.

Questions about medicines, caffeine, alcohol, drugs, thyroid symptoms and heart or breathing problems help consider physical explanations and safety. Panic disorder can be assessed alongside depression, trauma-related symptoms or other anxiety. Sharing an episode in your own words is enough; you do not need to recreate it during the visit.

Write down recent episodes, their setting, symptoms, approximate duration and what helped. Note any emergency visits or tests, current medicines and supplements, and activities you have stopped or changed. Tell the clinician about fainting, chest pain, pregnancy, substance use or thoughts of self-harm.

Ask how physical causes will be checked and which treatment options fit your goals. Read more about [Panic Disorder](/conditions/panic-disorder/) and [Mental Health Assessment](/treatments/consultations-and-assessment/mental-health-assessment/).

Call emergency services for severe or new chest pain, serious breathing difficulty, fainting, signs of stroke, or symptoms that feel life-threatening rather than assuming they are panic. Seek urgent mental health help if you may harm yourself or cannot stay safe.

Could another health problem or medicine be causing these sensations? How will panic disorder be assessed? What can I do during an episode, and when is follow-up needed?