This is my first post on the sub. 
I have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks for the last 20 years, but I had started to work watch my diet, consume less caffeine, and sugar sleep better, workout, meditate etc. and had it mostly under control. 

In 2019 I went through a very difficult breakdown of a business partnership with team members having to choose which partner they would work with. My ex-business partner was secretly speaking to them and since he is such a great salesman, turned everyone against me. 

In the meantime my mother got hospitalized and was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and passed away in a a short time frame. 

I started to have severe panic attacks during the last month of her life. 
Then the pandemic hit, and I have been pretty much isolated for the last two years. 

I have anxiety almost daily now and nothing seems to help. I wake up with palpitations, and just the thought of going back to “normal” and socializing with people again makes me very anxious. 

The few times during the last two years that I have been in social settings, I needed to drink just to relax and feel a bit comfortable. But it feels torturous. 

I have started to dread being around people and I feel like I need to get this back under control so that I can regain my life. 

I’m not on any meds, and have never been except for taking Ativan occasionally. 
I don’t react well to most medications, but at this point I’m willing to try anything. 

Can meds help with with this type of problem? Has anyone else every experienced this level of anxiety? I don’t even feel comfortable around my closest friends.