MQ Open Mind

In honour of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month,  this week, we’re re-releasing our Gone Too Soon webinar as a podcast episode.  Hosted by MQ’s Bryony, the panel consisted of Professor Rory O’Connor, Dr Ruchika Gajwani, a clinical psychologist and MQ Fellow, and MQ ambassador Harry Corin. In this discussion, they spoke about the current state of treatments and interventions, the misconceptions abo...

In this episode, Professor Rory and Craig spoke to author and MQ ambassador Claire Eastham. Earlier this year, Claire released a book called ‘How I Learned to Live With Panic’, which explores anxiety and panic disorder whilst providing helpful knowledge on how to manage panic attacks. In this inspiring conversation, they spoke about the difficulties with getting a diagnosis, learning how to unders...

In this episode, Professor Rory and Craig spoke to Nick Morgan, the founder of the organization Euro Youth Mental Health, and activist and lived experience campaigner, Chryssi. Euro Youth Mental Health is a non-profit organization that advocates for children and young people’s mental health. In this discussion, they spoke about the importance of volunteering, using lived experience in research, an...

In this episode, Professor Rory and Craig spoke to actress and eating disorder campaigner Gemma Oaten. Gemma is known for playing Rachel Breckle in the popular soap opera Emmerdale.    At age 10, Gemma discovered that she had an eating disorder, although due to a lack of clinical understanding, she continued to struggle for another 13 years. Now Gemma is the CEO of the charity SEED UK,  which aims...

In this episode, Professor Rory and Craig spoke to mental health activist and author Lily Bailey. At age 16, Lily was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, although her first experiences with OCD occurred during childhood.  Recently, Lily released the children’s book, ‘When I See Blue’, about a young boy and his struggles with OCD. In this thorough conversation, they discussed the misconce...

In this episode, Professor Rory and Craig spoke to MQ ambassador and cricket star, Azeem Rafiq. Azeem played cricket professionally in England for Yorkshire County Cricket Club. In 2020, Azeem shared his experiences of racism and bullying at Yorkshire, which became a major media story in the United Kingdom. In this riveting conversation, they spoke about racism in sport, having a winner’s mindset,...

In this episode, Professor Rory and Craig spoke to MQ ambassador and yoga instructor, James Downs. James is a member of the Gone Too Soon steering group, helping to shape the direction of MQ's next funding programme as an expert by experience. In this episode, we spoke about the prevalence of eating disorders, the inclusion of people with lived experience in research, and improving your mental hea...

In this episode, Professor Rory and Craig spoke to athlete and LGBTQ+ advocate, Amazin LeThi, and Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at Stonybrook University, Dr Jessica Schleider. In this episode, they spoke about supporting the mental health of the LGBTQ+ community, the importance of representation, and the impact of meaningful moments on your mental health.   Learn more here https://www...

In this episode, Professor Rory and Craig spoke to speaker and Guinness world record holder, Leigh Timmis. They spoke about self-improvement, finding your purpose, and breaking records.   https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/home/

In this episode, Professor Rory and Craig spoke to Associate Professor in Psychiatry at UCL and Consultant Psychiatrist at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Alexandra Pitman. They spoke about loneliness, the importance of inclusive research, and enjoying solitude. Links to the topics mentioned in the episode: - https://www.bespokementalhealth.co.uk/mental-health-awareness-week - https:...

In this episode, Professor Rory and Craig spoke to podcaster and journalist, Gemma Styles, to discuss doing good, the impact of social media on mental health, and raising money with sunglasses.

Join Professor Rory O'Connor and MQ's Craig Perryman in this rebooted version of the MQ Open Mind podcast! In today's episode, they discuss who they are and why they got into mental health research. 

[Trigger warning: podcast references suicide and self-harm] Research suggests an increasing number of young people are self-harming – and more than half of them aren’t seeking help. It’s clear this issue is rising – but why? And what can we do about it?  In this episode of MQ Open Mind, we talk to mental health campaigner Sian and researcher Ellen to try and get to the bottom of these questions. S...

Depression  is one of the most common mental illnesses and currently affects 1 in 10 people in the UK. But what if science could tell us who’s most likely to develop depression?  Researcher Helen and MQ ambassador John join host Hannah to explore this question in the latest episode of MQ Open Mind. John first experienced depression age 5. Now 29, he describes what depression feels like for him, sh...

Social media: is it good or bad for our mental health? We’ve been swamped with headlines talking about how damaging platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are to young people’s wellbeing. But the fact is there’s a lack of research – and social media is constantly developing. In this episode, we delve into these issues with James, a mental health campaigner with experience of OCD and eating...

There’s a growing crisis in young people’s mental health. 75% of mental illness begins before the age of 18 - and 3 children in an average classroom are affected by a diagnosable condition. This new episode of MQ Open Mind explores the role the education system can play in solving this crisis. We’re joined by Damani, a college student with experience of anxiety, Nick, who spent his career working...

This new episode of MQ Open Mind marks World Suicide Prevention Day, and explores how we can all play a role in preventing suicide. We’re joined by Paul McGregor, a mental health campaigner who lost his dad to suicide when he was 18, and Professor Rory O’Connor, an MQ-funded researcher who’s been conducting research into suicide and self-harm for over 20 years. Rory discuss the circumstances that...

Women are at a far greater risk to anxiety compared to men. In this episode we explore why. Researcher Olivia Remes at the University of Cambrdige offers insight on the social factors, whilst Dr Bronwyn Graham at the University of New South Wales in Australia explains the biological reasons. Bronwyn talks about her MQ-funded research looking at the hormone oestrogeon and it's impact on anxiety lev...

Mat Barlow, a firefighter, describes his battle with PTSD, triggered by an incident that took place whilst he was driving a fire engine. He describes some of the most tragic symptoms he’s experienced that affected his relationships, his family and his work. Imagine if we could have prevented those symptoms? He’s joined by Dr Jen Wild, a researcher who’s aiming to do just that. She talks us through...

How can psychedelic drugs be used to treat mental illness? Former government drugs tsar Professor David Nutt is investigating how psilocybin – the active ingredient in magic mushrooms – could be used to revolutionise treatment for depression. David explains why he thinks it's working and the bureaucracy involved in researching illegal substances that leave him "treated like a drug dealer".  

For Rose Bretecher, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder has never left her handwashing or ordering things, instead she has been overwhelmed by distressing sexual thoughts, ranging from child abuse to sexuality and explicit mental images. Rose tells her story and chats to Dr Claire Gillan, an MQ-funded researcher, about the science behind this condition, how we can transform treatments and what it really...

What does it feel like to live with social anxiety? It’s the most common of anxiety disorders – defined as a long-lasting and overwhelming fear of social situations by the NHS. Claire Eastham, author of We’re All Mad Here, speaks about her personal experience of living with the condition – from describing her first panic attack, to receiving the diagnosis and how she copes today. She takes the opp...

Getting the right mental health treatment for you is often a game of trial and error – if one treatment doesn’t work, you’ll try another, and another, and another… People can wait months, sometimes even years, before they’re given a treatment that’s the right fit. It’s something that Mark Brown, mental health advocate and blogger, knows only too well. After he was diagnosed with bipolar II he stru...

1 in 4 people experience mental illness at some point each year and depression now affects a staggering 350 million people worldwide. Understanding the causes of depression is crucial if we’re to find ways of treating it effectively. And more and more research is suggesting that we look beyond our brains and into the immune system to find answers. We speak to Carmine Pariante, Professor of Biologi...