After several trips to the ER, all the nurses have said you have to get control of the COPD in your mind. This is hard for me to do and I too take anxiety med. (.5 mg clonazepam) once or twice a day but it makes me sleepy.

Breathlessness brings on anxiety...of course it does! Completely normal.
What worries us is how breathless we suddenly are with comparatively little effort. The sense that something is wrong now evokes an instinctive "fight or flight" response.. We prepare for action by increasing adrenaline which tells the heart to speed up to seek more oxygen.. The increased blood flow to the diseased lungs however fails to produce the desired increase in oxygen to power even the heart, let alone the legs, and the result is more anxiety and yet more adrenalin, leading to a vicious cycle. Unchecked, this can become a full blown panic attack.
Sit down and slowly empty your lungs completely a few times (out through the mouth, in through the nose) to break the gasping rhythm and get rid of excess CO2 from the upper lung...not easy, but you can do it. You are NOT about to die. Longer slower breathing will convince the mind there is no longer a problem. Alternatively just keep breathing hard until you realise you don't need to (somewhat exhausting).
Learn and practise pursed lip breathing to control breathlessness in general (see Resources section). Stop attempts to rush to finish any task before you get breathless, it won't work. Stop and use your breathing technique.
Keep your fitness up with controlled deliberate exercise sessions at your own pace and life in general will be more comfortable.
As @A MyCOPDTeam Member mentions, a course in cognitive therapy is VERY useful, as are daily meditation or mindfulness sessions.
😊🍀

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A MyCOPDT...

Meds can certainly help. I'd also suggest that you find a good cognitive behavioral specialist and learn how to manage and control your anxiety without meds if possible.

Happens to me all the time. I’m trying not to take lorazepam but sometimes I need it or I can’t breathe

Absolutely l do, l take medication for anxiety and find that just worrying starts to effect my breathing almost immediately.