All in the Mind

These days we see a lot of negative stories related to screen time – how we’re addicted to our phones and social media is damaging our mental health. But is our panic about screens justified? Pete Etchells, professor of psychology and science communication at Bath Spa University, talks Claudia Hammond through the latest evidence in this field – and it turns out it’s all a lot more complicated than...

When it comes to mental health, what's going on with young people - particularly, teenage girls? There's been a lot of coverage in the media recently regarding mental health difficulties facing boys, not least around the struggle to get to grips with 'modern masculinity'; undoubtedly, it's a tough time to be a young man. But looking at figures for mental health problems in children and teens, ther...

Does what we eat have an impact on our mood and memory? And should we be thinking about brain health when we make diet choices? Claudia Hammond speaks to Dr Ellen Smith from Northumbria University about the latest food supplement taking TikTok by storm; Lion's Mane mushrooms. We are used to foods being promoted for their physical health benefits, but this one is being claimed to reduce brain fog,...

How stressed out do you get by TV quiz shows? And would that change if you were a contestant yourself? Cognitive researchers at the University of Arizona have studied back-episodes of Mastermind to find out how people react in high-stress situations - particularly how much they blink. Their findings offer insight into how blinking changes in stressful and mentally challenging situations – but also...

Increasing numbers of people are avoiding the news, and a recent update to Ipsos’s Global Trends 2023 report has found that the current state of the world is causing people to focus on their own lives, rather than broader, global problems. Mike Clemence, associate director of trends & futures at Ipsos, talks Claudia Hammond through the findings and the "polycrisis" we find ourselves in. Covera...

Have you ever considered rowing across the Atlantic? How about making it even more challenging by doing it whilst wearing an ECG monitor and filling in psychological questionnaires? Claudia Hammond speaks to the first Austrian woman to row the Atlantic, Ciara Burns, who collected data throughout her 42 day crossing. And to the professor who studied the data, Eugenijus Kaniusas from the Vienna Univ...

This Autumn, the UK has seen a shortage of life-altering medication for people living with ADHD. Many have found themselves completely out of pills and are now having to deal with symptoms which made life so tough prior to their diagnosis. Claudia Hammond hears about this challenging situation from Steph, who was only diagnosed with ADHD in August but experienced life-altering benefits after takin...

It’s not hard to find headlines about conspiracy theories these days, and on social media, they appear everywhere. It would be easy to think that more people are falling victim to conspiracies than ever before, but is there any evidence that this is the case? Claudia Hammond talks to Joe Uscinski, professor of political science at the University of Miami, whose work polling the public on their bel...

A new medication for psychosis is on the horizon. It's called KarXT and it could mean fewer side effects as well as finally some relief from difficulties with attention, concentration and memory - these are the symptoms patients often report as having the greatest impact on their lives but which current antipsychotics do not help with. KarXT has been through both phase 2 and 3 trials and now await...

Losing a parent is extremely difficult, but for adult children who are estranged, this loss can create a mixture of grief, sadness, guilt or relief. Claudia Hammond talks to broadcaster and author, Professor Alice Roberts, about her experience of losing her mother after being estranged for 5 years. A group of estranged adult children were interviewed to learn more about these feelings and how they...

Humility is a quality often associated with self-deprecation. But by championing our achievements while also acknowledging our weaknesses, we could see benefits in many areas of our lives – and even increase our attractiveness. Claudia Hammond hears about this research from Daryl Van Tongeren, associate professor at Hope College in the US and author of ‘Humble: The Quiet Power of an Ancient Virtue...

Last November All in the Mind listeners were asked to nominate the group, professional or individual who had made a positive impact on their mental health and the winners are announced in this programme. All in the Mind is produced in association with the Open University. Producers: Geraldine Fitzgerald, Lorna Stewart, Julia Ravey and Paula McGrath Content Editor: Erika Wright Awards Coordinators:...

The author and screenwriter Max Dickins was preparing to propose to his girlfriend when he came to a realisation: he didn’t have anyone he felt he could ask to be his best man. It prompted him to write the book ‘Billy No-Mates’, looking at why he didn’t have any close male friends any more, and asking if men, in general, have a friendship problem. In a special discussion in front of a live audienc...

It's not only the headliners at Glastonbury and winners at Wimbledon who strive for perfection in their lives. Psychologist Dr Tom Curran says people in all walks of life are prone to believing they're not quite "good enough". The pressure to be perfect can come from inside ourselves or from society, via social media as well as our friends and family. He says perfectionism isn't about doing things...

Whilst we have been hearing about some amazing acts of mental health support in the All in the Mind Awards, many of you have reached out to express the difficulties you've had finding the care you need. Two of the most influential leaders in the mental health space - Dr Shubulade Smith, head of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and Sarah Hughes, chief executive officer of the charity MIND – talk...

This week we have two more finalists in the All in the Mind Awards. When Hollie met the love of her life Pete she felt she belonged for the first time. But then her new husband's cancer returned and this time it was terminal. Soon after he passed away, her dad and her cat died too. Having experienced so much loss, she attempted to take her own life. Then she found the charity the New Normal - whic...

Hamish Barclay was a teenager when he was given steroids to treat kidney problems and experienced a rare side effect of psychosis. Now 29, he's lived with a diagnosis of schizophrenia for ten years and thanks to support from his mother Josephine he's been able to return to making music. His sister Maudie helped him to nominate their mum for an All in the Mind Awards - and she's now reached the fin...

A good bedside manner is a wanted quality in healthcare professionals. But as is performing procedures that can be painful or uncomfortable. As medical students train to become doctors, they can experience changes in their levels of empathy; the ability to resonate with how others feel. Learning long lists of diagnoses and pathologies, the human body starts to resemble more of a machine. But how d...

Ground-breaking discoveries in neuroscience, psychology and mental health are shared in scientific journals. And this gives them a stamp of approval. Before publication, articles go through rigorous checks by other experts in the field to assess if methods are watertight and the science stacks up. But sometimes, that might not be the case... Claudia Hammond investigates an unsuspecting vehicle for...

This week's finalist in the All in the Mind Awards is Sian who's been nominated by her mother Myra who cannot believe how much support she has given her during a manic episode and her diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Even when Myra threatened to bite Sian, she still kept calm and understood that it was her illness which was affecting her behaviour. When she let her mum look after her beloved grandda...

All in the Mind returns for our 72nd series. An experience hard to put into words but felt by many is the phenomenon of 'presence'. Claudia Hammond hears an account of a fearful-turned-friendly presence from Luke Robertson, an adventurer whose prolonged period of isolation whilst trekking across Antarctica led to continual run-ins with a non-existent figure. The potential neuroscientific and psych...

Many people say that knitting or crochet helped ease their anxiety during the Covid-19 lockdowns - but what is it about these repetitive, absorbing and creative hobbies that soothe the mind? Claire Anketell set up free Yarn for Mental Health courses in Northern Ireland a year ago and Gemma was one of the first to attend. She says crochet has helped to reduce her stress levels and she's graduated t...

Fergal Keane describes living with PTSD. For thirty years, Fergal covered some of the most brutal wars for the BBC, including Rwanda, Iraq and Ukraine. Despite having PTSD, he kept going, taking more and more risks until witnessing a massacre in Sudan, he realised he couldn't do it anymore, that for him going to war had become an addiction. He talks to Claudia about his ongoing work, recovering fr...

A new study highlights the increase in the number of teenagers - especially girls - developing involuntary physical and vocal tics during the pandemic. Neurologist Professor Jon Stone from the University of Edinburgh explains how they differ from those seen in patients with Tourette's - which come on very gradually are most often seen in eight to ten year old boys. One of his patients Beth first h...

Mental health awareness campaigns have reduced stigma and changed attitudes to mental illness, but has the messaging also led to unintended consequences? With the help of a panel consisting of mental health campaigner James Downs, the former director of Time to Change England Sue Baker, psychologist and author Lucy Foulkes and Katja Pavlovna of the Lives not Labels (sorry my mental illness isn't s...