Author Archives: Kaylee Mai

Anxiety During the Pandemic

A study published in the Lancet found that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in anxiety and major depressive disorders across the world, particularly among women and young people. The study included 48 previously conducted studies from around the world, and pulled together their findings in an analysis of 204 countries and territories …

How Anxiety and Stress Negatively Impact Decision Making

Have you ever found your ability to make a seemingly-simple choice hindered by your emotional state? Caroline Leaf, PhD—neuroscientist and Cleaning Up The Mental Mess author—and Sage Grazer, therapist and co-founder of mental health startup Frame, describe the ways in which stress and anxiety can heavily effect your decision-making process. After describing the science behind it …

Why Teens are Advocating for Mental Health Days Off School

Late last year the advocacy group Mental Health America surveyed teenagers about the things they believed would be most helpful for their mental health. More than half of the respondents cited the ability to take a mental health day. As our country’s mental health crisis continues to worsen, especially amongst the younger populations, many people …

Going Back to Sleep at 3am

If you sometimes find it hard to fall asleep, you’re not alone — up to 30% of Americans suffer from symptoms of insomnia. Neuropsychologist Dr. Sanam Hafeez speaks with Ladder on why this is and what we can do to help our sleeplessness. “When you’re awake at 3 a.m., the best thing you can do …

Mental Health Comics

Author Rachel Orr has written frequently about her experience with mental health issues. She has found that expressing her own journey and struggles through the medium of comics has helped people feel more comfortable in sharing their stories and feeling less alone. She shares 7 of these comics with us, covering topics from re-entry anxiety …

Ted Talk: What’s Anxiety?

There’s a difference between anxiety and an anxiety disorder that is sometimes unclear, and thus makes both harder to treat. This Ted Talk features Dr. Jen Gunter explaining how to tell when “worrying and fear crosses the line and needs attention.” Delving into the science behind our brain’s response to anxiety-inducing situations, this five minute …