Second chance

Hello all! Quit smoking about 8-9 months ago. I quit with no research, just wanted to be free! A few days after I experienced crippling anxiety. My first time in life. I didn't want to eat (associating the lack of cigarette after my meals), scared to be in bathroom alone, overall just pure fear! Thats when I began to research and realized that this was a very common symptom amongst those quitting nicotine. I finally began to eat more, keep hydrated, stick to the HALT (hunger-anger-lonley-tired) rule. Breathing was better and all the physical withdrawal symptoms were gone. After a few months later everything felt totally better. I began to feel the freedom I was looking forward to... Fast forward to last week. It all started again!!! It even added some depressing moments because I dont want to be like this forever. Couldn't imagine quit smoking, which is a positive thing, to be so bad. I can't understand what triggered it. I've been reading post on diffeent sites and found this could be PAWs (Post Acute Withdrawal syndrome). I'm so tired ? insomnia and the anxiety is tough. I dont want medicine because I've been told it does go away. So to end the long story, has anyone else dealt with this previously or currently monthsss after quitting? Any tips suggestions.