Hi Lithium,
I'm glad you decided to give sobriety another go. I'm six months in (this time), and though I also suffer from fairly high baseline anxiety/depression, I can tell you that it's much better now than it was in the first few months booze-free.
My experience is that I definitely drank as a way to escape feelings I couldn't tolerate - like to the point that I didn't even know I was
having those feelings, you know? It's been a long journey with a lot of trial and error (that last relapse was after 2+ years sober), and what I've learned is that I need to really pay attention to those physical symptoms first, then track back to what is bothering me and why,
then work to get myself in balance. It seems like a lot of people don't need to go through the sort of intense reflection that I do, but it's what works for me. Everyone has their own path.
For me, medication is an absolute boon. I also take Zoloft for depression. They adjusted the dose during one of my hospitalizations because I was at half of what is generally considered to be an effective dose. In addition, I take Buspar and gabapentin for anxiety. My doctor and I have worked together to 'tweak' all of this, for which I am very grateful. Also yes to meditation, forcing oneself to do physically taxing things, and breathing.
Today, I'm anxious and I know I have good reason to be that way. But I know that I can bear it. Recognizing, accepting, and investigating my feelings is crucial. I'll do my best to nurture myself today because that's what I need to keep it together. You can do all of that too.
O