I sometimes suffer from bad and acute anxiety attacks: I carry xanax (with the md prescription so I can travel). It happens very rarely (few times per year) and only 1 max 2 pills is enough to kill it usually. Without pills it just keeps going and when it happens it is impossible to stop unless using alcohol but then it does not end soon; it can take a week or longer and the feeling drives you mad (if you do not know it, good for you; you would not wish it on your worst enemy). So I make sure I have 2-4 pills on me.
There is no underlying cause that they can find or use to ‘fix it’, although I have a specific moment when it started (20 years ago). It used to be far worse (every 2 weeks taking 2-3 days) than it is now.
I often notice someone behave a certain way (some kind of movements or suddenly being ill and having to stay home, especially when there is a stressor; it is usually that or a migraine, which also still has stigma (here?), like, just take an aspirin and get over it, by people who do not suffer from them (I do not anymore luckily)) or tell something specific that makes me wonder if they suffer from anxiety; when I talk with them it often is the case. That way I found out that many of my friends and acquaintances suffer from it even though they never told anyone or were not even sure what it was.
A few months ago I was driving with someone from my village who I told someone next to me in the plane was vomiting all the trip; she said that maybe he has that weird feeling losing control she sometimes has which leads her to stay at home and grab a bottle. I told her to go to the doctor and ask about anxiety; they sent her to the mental health dep after some tests and gave her xanax and diazepam; she now is much happier as she can stop the attacks before they become full blown. She never knew that it was anxiety and she was afraid people (including the doctor, who usually is a guy who does not really believe in this stuff; he tried to give me soothing tea before I got a signed and translated doc from my Dutch ex doctor saying what I have) would find her a whining weak person.
Of all people I know who suffer or suffered from it, including my wife and family members, noone got properly diagnosed because it seems there is a big stigma resting on this. Mostly people think they can just ‘man up’ and tell themselves it will be fine. That is often not how it works; once it really starts you just cannot stop it; no amount of meditation or positive thought or exercise helps. So you try to mask it (for yourself and others) in several ways.
If you have anything; just go see a doctor; if it is anxiety, your life will improve massively if you get proper help.
Edit: I don’t recognise the anger bit, but yes, without pills, drinking is the only thing that helps/calms down and it often makes it worse besides being unhealthy (especially as this can happen any hour, day or night, and downing a few beers at 6am is not quite, well... good, so definitely get pills and keep them on you; no drink needed ever again).