Anxiety sucks, as the title states. But it doesn't have to take over your life. There are some who can maintain it and there are those who can't. Medication can help. But what do you do when medication just isn't enough? Well there are other ways to cope with the different stages of panic. It can help to disappear in your mind to a place that's calm and tranquil. Or maybe it's doing something you enjoy so much that it takes your mind off of the thing that's causing you to freak out. Or maybe it's locking yourself into a quiet area and counting to ten. Or maybe meditating. Don't be afraid to try them all. It can never hurt to try.
I guess what works for me is listening to music. I've dealt with anxiety since I was 10 years old so you can only image what that was like as a child. But my love for disappearing into the world of music helps me deal. I've had a few close calls these past few months and a full on panic attack two years ago but I overcame it by adding the method of taking deep breathes and counting to ten, maybe even 100 if it helps. A key element I guess is to also know your triggers. What is it that makes you shake, have shortness of breath, makes you worry and sends you into a full on panic attack? Finding that trigger can give you a better understanding and help you curb your attacks. It's not an easy task but once you find it, I promise you there'll be some form of relief.
I know this post didn't have much game development talk in it but I learned that anxiety can effect the game development world as well.
Nacia