Hi, MadameEnchanted, welcome to PsychCentral.

I don't have the OCD or panic portions of your mix but when my husband was away on business trips; I learned over several trips that if I could make the physical situation a little more "as if" he were there, I'd do better. I would get very frightened at night, that someone was going to break in, whatever. I worked so it was horrible if I had to get up the next day and go to work because I wouldn't be able to go to sleep until 3:30 or so, when I was sure all the robbers and murderers had gone home to bed :-)

What helped me was leaving the lights on in the living room, as if my husband were still up, in the living room reading. Just having the lighting similar to how it "normally" was (I use to go to bed 1-3 hours before he did) reassured me and I could read and then turn out my light and often doze and sleep a bit better (until 3:30 when I could sleep completely :-) until time to get up for work.

I also learned, from before I was married even, that it is always better when I'm alone if I go out each day and talk to a real person; can be a store clerk or librarian, etc. Just as long as I have an interaction and get out of my "head" that helps me.

I don't know if you can substitute any of your usual rituals for the cardboard one, but doing something in relation to your finance, that reminds you of what you would do when he's around, maybe that will help? What about him and his behavior reassures you normally? See if you can find some real little thing (like putting a ticking clock in a new puppy's box to reassure and remind him of his mother's heartbeat?) that you can focus on instead of a new thing?

I would play around with creating a ritual that is helpful rather than "meaningless". What foods does he like to eat? I'd eat some of those. I'd recreate lights and sound and other sense situations to recreate what you have when the two of you are together. Hang one of his coats or some of his other clothes on a chair where you can see, stroke, and smell them? Think of little things to surprise him for when he gets home (focus on his being back home); does he watch certain TV shows and can you tape an episode? Plan a special meal for when he gets home and go buy some of the ingredients or make a reservation at a restaurant you both like? Think of some little activities he hates to do and do them for him while he's away (a car checkup or washed, some small clerical hassle with a bill or insurance fixed). Set some goals for yourself that are hard enough to need more of your attention and energy (rather than thinking about his being away).