I dont know if I am doing the right thing

So a couple of months ago I started to take ativan  because I thought it would help with my Anxiety .I had no clue to what I was getting my self in to I started to take it every day for like a week  then I started to feel weired .So I stoped then I satred to really Have a panic attack(s) so I would take one to calm me down I became Depended the doctor said so he put me on Effexor xr I started to feel better almost right away after a couple of months (6) I stop taking it with my doctors advice in two weeks I was off of it .Had no Symtoms (symptoms) hardly then like 4 months later(like 2 weeks ago  I stared to feel panicked and so I decied that take my effxor xr would help ?   My question is could i have been not ready to come off the drug or could it have been a late side effect ? please help?