Auchies, I think many/many among us have been where you are at. Many have memories of anxiety from childhood so we don't totally relate alcohol with it. we have always been anxious. While we pretend to understand the link, we are actually denying it.
My experience: my anxiety became unmanageable. I ended in hospitall believing I was dying 3 times. I scared my children and family. I was very scared myself. My latest attempt to quit (a bit over 4 month ago) was so scary that I have not touched a drop of alcohol since. I knew, for the first time, it was without a doubt an episode of withdrawals. They were becoming worse and the only way out was to drink to appease them. All day long. Knowing the dependence -and the anxiety- would just become worse over time.
I could not even imagine my next 5 years drinking. How much worse it was going to be. So I stopped. Guess what? My anxiety is gone! I need a real trigger to suffer anxiety. I am prone to anxiety and small problems may cause an intense burning sensation on my chest. I am learning to deal with it. but I am not anxious all the time. Not at all.
YOu are adding valium to your particular mix from hell. I bet you were never prescribed those for withdrawals. Wherever you are getting your dossage from, like alcohol, it will become worse.
You have survived your latest episode. Even if you want to catalogue it as anxiety only, the problem is not only in the mind. Your heart and your blood pressure go crazy. Your body is suffering. It may not be a heart attack, but it is not only a mind trick either. Your physical dependence to alcohol is causing 90% of it. Look after yourself