All In The Mind

Sex robots are here to stay and the technology is developing fast. From the ancient Greeks to the latest science fiction, robots in human form have captured our imagination, but is it possible to form intimate relationships with these inanimate objects? Do we want to? And what about the many ethical concerns sex robots raise?

Embarrassment, guilt, or remorse are difficult emotions and most of us avoid. These excruciating shameful feelings are often masked by addiction, self-loathing or narcissism, but shame can also help uphold societal values, and even help build our self-esteem

We humans have ‘creative software’ in our brains—so says neuroscientist and author David Eagleman. We're driven to invent and innovate, yet at the same time we’re attracted to the familiar—and our creativity lives in that tension.

Having children can be wonderful but there’s no doubt that parenting can be challenging, especially for women with mental illness. We hear about the lives of mothers diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder—it’s a disorder defined by extreme emotional instability and is surrounded by stigma. The treatment can make a real difference to the wellbeing of families.

For some people the number six is red and music evokes a range of colours and shapes. Seeing sounds and hearing colours is one type of synesthesia—where the senses are crossed.  Meet an 11-year-old girl who was surprised to find out that not everyone sees colourful auras around people, and who feels that numbers have colours and personalities.

What does it take to drag yourself off the couch and get motivated on a fitness regime? In all areas of life, to be well motivated we need to feel autonomous and find our own internal rewards. We hear from a renowned motivational psychologist and a personal trainer about what works.

If you love your pet dog, do they love you? This question intrigued Professor of Neuroscience Gregory Berns. He wanted to know what it’s really like to be a dog—if they feel the same emotions and have similar thoughts to us. So he persuaded his own dog to get into an MRI machine for a brain scan. He’s now trained 100 dogs to go into the scanner and they think it’s a fun game.

Neurodiversity is a radical social movement challenging the notion of what’s normal and what’s a disorder. What better place to explore neurodiversity than in the arts and theatre—we hear from actors on the autism spectrum and a synesthete using her perceptions of colour and music to create art.

The recent revolution in technology allows us to peer into the mind as never before—says Dr. Hannah Critchlow. She’s explored what neuroscience can tell us about consciousness, free will, and fate. she’s also investigated the neuroscience leadership to build a more ethical, altruistic work environment.

One Sunday afternoon Mary Pershall received a devastating call from the police that her daughter Anna had murdered someone. Anna had struggled throughout her life with mental illness and drug addiction, and the tragic event lead Mary to ask how society can protect a child in crisis.

Seven-time world surfing champion Layne Beachley discusses the mental health challenges she's faced in her life, how the ocean and surfing have been emotionally healing for her, and the benefits of surf therapy for mental wellbeing.

You might have seen Australian surfers decked out in fluro gear raising awareness for mental health. The OneWave community is all about increasing the visibility of mental illness — and it's part of a growing international community exploring the therapeutic benefits of surfing. What is it about being in the ocean that can benefit your mental health? All In The Mind heads to Bondi Beach.

From old fashioned 'lovesickness' to sex addiction, obsession, and jealousy — how does society decide what's normal in love? Drawing on the latest scientific research into the mechanisms underlying love and romantic attachment, a leading psychotherapist explores the extremes of love.

Pregnancy and early parenthood is an exciting and rewarding time — but for many families, it brings about unexpected challenges. In Australia, one in five expecting or new mums will experience anxiety or depression, some experience both. What's being done to support women as they transition to motherhood?

Janne McMahon has drawn on her own lived experience of mental illness to advocate for patient-centred care. Professor Gavin Andrews introduced cognitive behaviour therapy to Australia. Meet the dual winners of the 2018 Australian Mental Health Prize.

Picture an apple. Now picture your favourite character from a novel. And now a loved one's face. Can you see those images in your mind's eye? Some people can't because they have a condition called aphantasia which disrupts their ability to create a mental image.

The science behind our judgement of faces for their trustworthiness, competency, and character.

When you're overwhelmed by distressing feelings and big emotions, it can feel lonely, particularly if you can't find the help you need in the mental health system. Alternative grassroots approaches to staying alive are now being explored, which focus on connecting with others in a similar space.

Each year, around 3,000 people in Australia die at their own hand. More young people die by suicide than in car accidents, and Indigenous Australians are more than twice as likely to take their own lives. Hear some of the latest thinking in prevention.

When we’re bored time drags, and wouldn’t you swear that time seems to speed up as you get older? Drawing on the latest insights from psychology and neuroscience we explore the mystery of time perception, it’s connection to our sense of self and how we could be the architect of our own perception of time.

Advances in neuroscience and AI could revolutionise medicine but they also pose significant ethical and social challenges. If a brain computer interface can allow a blind person to see, or restore speech to those who’ve lost the ability to communicate, what does this mean for a person’s sense of self, personal responsibility, or privacy?

Kathleen Harrison is an ethnobotanist studying the relationship between plants, people, and culture. She's worked throughout Latin America since the 1960s and informed by long relationships with indigenous healers, naturalists, and her own decades of psychedelic curiosity. She co-founded the organisation Botanical Dimensions with Terence McKenna in 1985.

In 1966, as a reaction to disturbing reports of people having bad trips, the Psychedelic drug LSD was banned in the U.S. But now some scientists are seeing promising results from studies into the therapeutic benefits of using psychedelic drugs to treat mental illness.

The not-for-profit association Psychedelic Research in Science and Medicine Incorporated (PRISM) was set up over 7 years ago to initiate and progress psychedelic medical research in Australia. PRISM is currently collaborating with the USA-based Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS).

Some exciting news was published earlier this year in the Psychiatric Journal JAMA, about the potential mental health benefits of psychedelic drug research. It’s likely that within the next 5 years researchers will know whether the psychoactive drug commonly known as ecstasy—methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA—can be used to treat psychiatric disorders.