All In The Mind

Psychological abuse is part and parcel of the unacceptable level of family violence—it’s particularly challenging to recognise and often hidden behind closed doors. This week a family therapist casts light on the manipulative narcissistic techniques used by some perpetrators.

Women experience depression twice as much as men, and four times as much anxiety—yet their mental health has not had high priority. Biological, social and psychological factors mean that men and women experience mental illness differently, so why shouldn’t gender be considered when developing treatments?

Remember the Rolling Stones hit Mothers Little Helper? The song reflected the massive increase in the use of benzodiazepines during the early 1960s—particularly those under the brand name of Valium. We discuss the addictive nature of benzos, and how to manage them.

Our relationship with music begins at birth, if not before, and plays a role in the formation of our identity when we are young. Now a heart-warming movement called Music & Memory is creating personalised music playlists for residents with dementia in nursing homes—who use their mobile device to hear it.

When writer Steve Silberman noticed a high proportion of Silicon Valley workers who had children with autism—and the massive increase in diagnoses of autism in the mid 90s—he decided to investigate.

We know that as a nation we’re more overweight than ever—losing kilos is a major challenge for many, despite the plethora of diet information around us—but we can equip our mind to take better control.

Some people worry about their health more than others, but although many of us have pondered over whether an ache or pain could be the sign of something more sinister, for those people with hypochondria or health anxiety, the symptoms of illness can become the central focus of their lives.

At the age of 24, acclaimed novelist Matt Haig’s world suddenly fell apart—he could no longer see a reason to live. Haig’s memoir is an honest and inspiring account of how he emerged from severe depression and anxiety, and learned to live again.

Living with mental illness is no laughing matter but when stand-up comedians draw on their own personal experience for their material it can be therapeutically powerful and hilarious.

Dementia affects around 350,000 Australians. Whilst there’s still no cure, a better insight into the experience of dementia can help to improve the care and quality of life for those affected.

We know that human beings misbehave—we’re irrational, indecisive and passionate—yet conventional economics assumes that we will always behave logically. However behavioural economics knows us better, and combines psychology with an understanding of incentives and markets.

Combined with knowledge from modern neuroscience and applied to the treatment of trauma and serious mental disorders, could psychoanalysis be a treatment for our times

We hear the story of one man’s experience of this delusion, and a psychiatrist who reflects on the impact that popular culture can have on our mental health.

How does our brain function in the age of information overload?

The addicted mind is complex, and we know from past history that there’s no easy fix.

Leading edge science is discovering that our brain and mental health are influenced by what goes on in the gut.

A look at a new era of personalised depression treatment combining knowledge from neuroscience, psychiatry and psychology.

Potential mutual benefits of equine assisted therapy.

A media project called 'Ray of Light' connects young people who have suffered from different triggers of depression and survived suicide attempts, and moved on through treatment and recovery.

Are children are more anxious these days? There’s no way to be really sure, but according to some researchers anxiety is one of the more common mental health problems that kids are facing.

Jeremy Oxley fronted the Australia '80s cult rock ‘n' roll band Sunnyboys until his erratic behaviour led to its demise. After years of battling with schizophrenia he met his love, Mary Griffiths, who saved him from a life of destruction

In this NAIDOC Week 2015, we pay a visit to The Glen—a male-specific drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre on the Central Coast of NSW run by the Ngaimpe Aboriginal Corporation.

Most people have strange, intrusive thoughts. They can be embarrassing or completely irrational, so we don’t often talk about them. But for some these thoughts are impossible to stop, and can lead to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Most people tend to think of autism as a male disorder, the character in the film Rain Man often comes to mind. But emerging research shows that girls often have different symptoms which cause them to slip through the net.

There is a fundamental asymmetry between human beings' negative and positive emotions. For good evolutionary biological reasons our negative emotions are stronger, yet we experience positivity more often.