Anxiety?

I'm so sorry to hear this. You are having a panic attack, in which your body perceives that you are in danger, and is trying to either fight it or flee from it. Panic can be triggered by many things, phobias, for example, or post trauma, i.e. something bad has happened and you are being reminded of it via visual, auditory, touch, or smell. Either way, it is most unpleasant.

I would advise you to work with a therapist to identify triggers, issues, and to learn to self calm, and know the signs of impending panic moments. Self care, sleep, diet, exercise is also important, as well as having a support system.

In the meantime, look for warning signs that a panic attack is about to happen. For example, does your head ache, chest feel tight, breathing become shallow/more difficult? Your body is warning you that something bad is about to happen. In those brief moments, look for ways to de-escalate, or to self calm.

Grounding is a good way to stay in the moment and to slow the world down. For example, walking barefoot, lying on the ground, in the grass, wading in a pool or other body of water can prove helpful in lowering anxiety. In addition, using a weighted blanket, special grounding socks or a grounding mat can also help. The easiest way to remember grounding is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: 5 things you can see around you, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

Deep breathing, in particular, box breathing can slow one down until the panic/anxiety subsides. Find a comfortable seat or mat, sit in a relaxed, upright position. Breathe in slowly, on a count of 4, up through the diaphragm, which is below the chest, through the nostrils. Next, hold breath for 4 seconds. Step 3 is slowly exhaling through the mouth, as if you were blowing through a straw, for 4 seconds  Finally, sit without breathing for another 4 seconds. And then, repeat the cycle. 

I like to also incorporate mindful meditation, which works well using box breathing. Find a comfortable seat in a quiet place. I like to use meditation music, which is available, free on different apps, like YouTube, for example. Put that on in the background. Begin box breathing. Clear your mind of all thoughts. The mind is blank. Eventually, thoughts, worries, regrets may drift into your mind. Clear them away. Imagine that the negative thoughts are little white balloons drifting across your view. Gently, take your hand and push them away, until they drift up to the sky and disappear. Do this exercise first thing in the morning and last thing at night for calmer days and more restful nights.