Why do I panic when they take ages to reply?

For someone with anxious attachment, a slow reply can set off the same alarm as a threat, because silence once meant someone was pulling away. The panic arrives before any sensible explanation can. It helps to notice the alarm without acting on it straight away: put the phone down, name the feeling, and wait before replying or chasing. It passes faster than it seems to, and each time you let it pass, it gets a little quieter.