Fighting in the peekaboo style, you better get used to it. You are squared up so your balance is iffy from the start, so, yeah, punches off the top of your head will unsettle you. In theory, you have your hands high and elbows tight to block hooks and you need to slip straight punches.
Like everything else it will take time- learning to identify the punch coming at you and how to deal with it. It is not something you are going to learn how to do well in a few weeks. Also, in the style you are choosing to fight, stepping back is not the best option. Your style only 'works' up close.