I had this too. Anxious all my life but no attacks. One day I go for a walk and get this intense feeling of euphoria, like the happiest I have ever been, followed by what I thought was a heart attack (although I also knew it wasn’t somehow). I felt so dizzy and my heart was beating uncontrollably, I almost passed out because I couldn’t get a breath.) I managed to sit down and after ten minutes felt ok, and walked home in terror. Afterwards I felt like my heart was always going crazy, and my chest hurt all the time and I just felt this intense sense of doom. Finally had another attack and went to the hospital and had every test known to man. I also realized that they weren’t rushing so I wasn’t surprised when the doctor told me I had a panic attack, and that the chest pain was from chostochondritis, an inflammation of the ribs, probably from being so anxious and keeping my muscles so tight. Anyway, went to therapy after that, felt horrible throughout my ten sessions and afterward for about 6 months, but slowly I took the lessons I learned in CBT and eventually the panic went away. I also mainly had these weird low level panic attacks that lasted weeks at a time, I only have had three full blown attacks, but that low level panic still counts as a panic disorder. In the end I was diagnosed with panic disorder, social anxiety, GAD and depression, which made me feel better since I had assumed I was a big cry baby whiner before I went, lol. I get you about the drinking, I would have one glass of wine and all the anxiety would go away, have two and I would feel happy.