Terrible Email Anxiety

I have a real problem with email anxiety and it's one of the major roadblocks that's prevented me from succeeding academically and professionally.

Emails will come in from professors, deans, and references, and I just can't bring myself to read them. I'm absolutely paralyzed. It's not even that I anticipate something terrible everytime, it's like the weight of coming up with replies and engaging the senders is too overwhelming and scary.The uncertainty of not knowing what they will say is also too terrifying for me to cope with. I'll often let emails sit in my inbox for days (or forever) because I'm just too scared to read them. Of course not replying to emails and calls is seen as rude and irresponsible, so people end up getting the wrong idea about me.

This doesn't just apply to emails. It can be voice messages, phone calls, and even just reddit replies on posts I found particularly stressful.

I've been reaching out to some past contacts, asking them to write me letters of recommendation but I'm to scared too read them.

Please, how can I over come this?