Ah yes. Unfortunately...that is what doctors will often do with anxiety and panic. They will pooh-pooh it away, tell you to take these meds but be warned, they can take up to three months to actually help and until then you're pretty much on your own, and in the meantime just try to distract yourself and read as much as you can and do this and do that but ultimately it's not a serious problem because it's not 'life threatening'. I beg to differ.
My anxiety, at its worst, is completely debilitating. I cannot function. I cannot read books of any kind. I cannot be in groups of any kind. I cannot sleep. I cannot eat. I am NOT okay. It's a VERY serious problem. In fact sometimes I would do anything - and I do mean anything, drastic, harmful, scary, violent, whatever - just to make it stop. Because my anxiety can last, in a heightened, can't-eat-can't-sleep-can't-leave-the-house state for months at a time, with lingering symptoms that, this time around, are still here four years later.
I say get a doctor who knows a bit more about anxiety and anxiety disorders. If you have the ability to more or less function independently, you may want to consider seeking out a peer group or support group of some kind because the truth is that this affects SO many people and I just don't understand why it's not being given the attention and respect it deserves.
I hope in the meantime that you are able to hang in there.