Hi sdaless,
I have found that the distraction of work is helpful for me most of the time. Sometimes however, I have some symptoms while trying to teach. My schedule is ideal in that most of my classes are in the afternoon, when I am most relaxed. When I have morning classes however, I really have to push through it. Mornings are the time that I struggle the most, and when I was having panic attacks, I would even wake up with them, making my morning a disaster.
Do you have a time of day that is particularly hard for you, and could you adjust your schedule to work around it?
Also I get the impression from your post that your work environment was not ideal! Of course there are always going to be things and people that cause us stress, but minimalizing these and doing something that you enjoy and distracts you could make a huge difference
If you are in therapy currently, I would also recommend asking for some specific tools that your counselor could work on with you. If you are not, check out our Anxiety Resource Guide if you haven't already. There are some good links to helpful sites that could help you.
Good luck, and let us know how it's going soon.
Scaredy Cat