There wasn’t a single place I could go during a rainstorm and feel safe. There wasn’t a single place in that damn office where I could allow my panicky feelings to de-escalate.

Each downpour filled the entire office with an ambient white noise that spiked my adrenaline level. When it rained, I couldn’t sit still.

But it’s finally time to emerge from those fluorescent-lit caves that we call home during the coldest months. It’s time to get back outside and reconnect with nature after avoiding it for so long.

The shortest day of the year is the day when the earth betrays us and withholds the sunlight we need to lift our mood, to grow, and to thrive. But it all gets better from here.

Anxiety disorders become more poignant during natural disasters — whether you’re in the direct path or not.

Although I’d had three panic attacks in the days leading up to the earthquake, I didn’t panic when the quake hit. My anxiety manifested itself as excitement instead. After all, it was my first earthquake and I was…well, intrigued.