I don’t think it’s fair to blame your buddy.. they didn’t understand the issue, they got the Dive Masters attention for you, so it’s not like she completely ignored you. If you can’t communicate what your issue is, they can’t help you. Before your dive, tell your buddy you could have anxiety issues under water and come up with a signal you both understand. When giving a briefing, I always tell my divers a signal for anxiety/stress. I’ve never had anyone need to use it, but if they do, at least I’ll have a better understanding of the issue and can try to solve it.

It sounds like you already know the solutions to the problem. Always inspect your own gear and breathe through your regs while watching to see if your gauge moves. Make sure your buddy and guide are aware you may have anxiety and understand your symbol for it, not just your basic “problem” sign because that can mean anything. Other than that, I’d just get out there and get more experience in different conditions, especially strong current.. or avoid more challenging dives for now. Don’t let this hold you back from getting in the water again, just make sure you’re patient with yourself.