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How does reading shape our mind and spirit? Why do novels make us feel more human? In front of a live audience at the Hay Festival of Literature & Arts, Claudia Hammond looks at the science of what reading does to the mind and explores the profound impact it can have on our lives and well-being. She is joined on stage by award-winning novelist and travel writer Joanna Kavenna; Dr Paula Byrne, Jane Austen biographer, writer and co-founder of ReLit: The Bibliotherapy Foundation and Ben Alderso...
What would you say is the difference between the mind and the brain? Claudia delves into this complex question after listener Paul got in touch to ask about Near Death Experiences. What can they tell us about the mind, the brain and who we are? Anil Seth, Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex and author of Being You tackles this profound topic. Studio guest Catherine Loveday discusses brand new research on how exactly the brain brings old memories from...
Everyone experiences unwanted thoughts from time to time. But how does it feel to be trapped in a constant cycle of intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviours? This is the reality of life for many people with obsessive compulsive disorder, a common - but commonly misunderstood - mental health condition. So today we’re dedicating the programme to understanding OCD and how it’s treated. We’ll visit Britain’s only inpatient unit, Seacole Ward at Springfield Hospital in London, where we’ll meet Al...
Claudia Hammond and guests offer insights into tackling knowledge theft and discourteous emails. Dr Emma Russell, occupational psychologist and reader in occupational and organisational psychology from the University of Sussex, has insights into perpetrators of disrespectful emails. And studio guest Dr Pete Olusoga, senior lecturer in psychology at Sheffield Hallam University, tells Claudia about new research into knowledge theft and how to make repairs if it happens. And Dr Madoka Kumashiro, fr...
How can we feel ok in a world that isn’t? With multiple global crises going on at the same time, it can make many of us feel very uncertain and anxious. But why are we affected by events happening so far from home - and what can we do to help ourselves feel better in difficult times? Clinical psychologist Linda Blair and Channel 4 News international editor Lindsey Hilsum share their wisdom. And should we plan in 20 minutes a day just for worrying? That’s the idea of a “worry window”, where we bl...
How well can you remember the details of your childhood? Sometimes, the memories are there, but a little hazy. But what if you could trick your brain into thinking you looked like your younger self again? Would that help you recall more childhood memories? A new study has tried exactly this, so Claudia Hammond meets Professor Jane Aspell to have a go at an illusion that makes you believe you have a younger version of your face. Imagine navigating across an ocean, only using the feel of waves hit...
All In The Mind investigates the profound mental health toll on asylum seekers living in UK hotels, featuring a compelling firsthand account and clinical psychologist Dr. Janelle Spira's research. The episode also covers a new study on doxycycline's potential to reduce schizophrenia risk and offers insights from Dr. Stephanie Fitzgerald on mentally reframing winter. Finally, Dr. Peter Olusoga explores the 'opposers loss effect' in sports and politics, providing a comprehensive look at diverse psychological topics.
It is now compulsory for schools across the UK to teach children about mental health and wellbeing. Whilst it might seem like classes for everyone on these topics might be helpful, a new study has found that in some cases, they may actually be worsening mental health problems. How could this be? Claudia Hammond is joined by Dr Lucy Foulkes to discuss the possible reasons why. Listener Paul got in touch to ask why some drivers get road rage. What is it about being in a car that makes people see r...
This programme may contain information that you might find to be evidence-based and informative... Trigger warnings are everywhere. They’re used in the news, on social media and in academia to flag potentially distressing material so we can emotionally prepare ourselves or avoid it. But what if they actually make things worse? We interrogate a growing body of evidence that suggests they aren’t working in the way they are intended. So should we still be using trigger warnings? Also this week, we’...
Autism tends to be viewed as a spectrum, but a new study published this month in Nature suggests that there are both genetic and behavioural differences between early and later diagnosed autism. So is autism still a spectrum, or should we be thinking of it as having multiple different subtypes? Claudia Hammond talks to Professor Uta Frith, who has pioneered autism research for decades, about what this means for how we view autism now. The universities of Cambridge and Durham are launching a stud...
Many of us can empathise with that feeling of keeping stuff for years and years. We might keep treasured objects with real sentimental value, or we might have items for a long time - and yet we can't really explain why. For those of us who don’t like getting rid of our belongings, life can feel very full of stuff. But when does a tendency to hold on to things become more worrying? It can be difficult to put a figure on just how many people have what's known as hoarding disorder but it was classi...
Just looking at the news can give the feeling that today’s world is more polarised than ever. And the stats show that in Britain, the majority of people believe that society is divided. How can we go about bridging this divide? Paul Dolan, professor of behavioural science at LSE, has written a book called Beliefism on exactly this. He chats to presenter Claudia Hammond about how we can learn to get along with people we disagree with, and how doing this can impact our lives for the better. Also, ...
Would you ever share your most intimate, personal circumstances with an AI - and then use its advice in your day-to-day life? If the answer is yes, then you are not alone. Many people are turning to human-like AI chatbots for help with their mental health. So we're going to spend the programme exploring the fascinating and growing phenomenon of AI therapists. We’ll find out how and why people are using it by listening in to some very personal AI ‘therapy’ sessions. How does it work - and can it ...
Many of us will experience mental health problems at some point in our lives – and it is often the help and support of those around us that can make all the difference to how we cope and recover. The BBC Radio 4 All in the Mind Awards recognises the unsung heroes who have helped make that difference. Claudia Hammond meets the finalists and announces the winners in the All in the Mind Awards ceremony, recorded with a live audience at the BBC Radio Theatre in London. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Pro...
Is curiosity good for us, or should we learn a lesson from what curiosity did to the cat? And why does curiosity drive some people to explore the ends of the earth and beyond, while others just really aren’t very curious at all? As a journalist and author, Claudia Hammond has turned curiosity into a profession. She invites a panel of people for whom curiosity is also at the centre of what they do to discuss the psychology of curiosity in front of an audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival. T...
This week is all about twins. On today's programme we'll hear from a very special pair who are through to the final of the All in the Mind Awards, which celebrates those who have made a real difference to people’s mental health. We'll hear how the special bond between Lisa and Rose Betts really mattered when Lisa was going through a very tough time with her mental health. And the insight Lisa and Rose give us into their world got us thinking about the unique science of twins. What is it that fas...
Do you feel like you’re flourishing? If you’ve not heard that term before, it’s not just about wellbeing, it’s about your whole life being good. Guest psychologist Dr Peter Olusoga joins Claudia in the studio to discuss the results of the Global Flourishing Study, a huge new study of more than 200,000 people in 22 countries. What are the key takeaways on how we might help ourselves to flourish? Pete also brings the science on a new psychological term – ‘lemonading’. It’s all about bringing a pla...
What's going on in your brain when you experience an 'aha!' moment? Imagine you've been stuck on a problem for ages, but then the answer suddenly comes to you out of nowhere, like a bolt of lightning. Claudia Hammond is joined in the studio by professor of cognitive neuroscience Sophie Scott to understand how these 'aha' moments happen. Sophie also brings us her own research into contagious laughter and why some types of laughter are more likely to give us the giggles than others. And Claudia me...
This week, we're taking a look at the state of mental health services in the UK. Claudia Hammond is joined in the studio by the BBC's social affairs correspondent Michael Buchanan to dissect how long people are having to wait for care and what is being done to tackle the issues. We also hear from two more finalists in the All in the Mind Awards. First up is Duncan who nominated psychiatrist Dr Ilenia Pampaloni, who in 2023 treated him on the UK's only inpatient OCD ward. Claudia hears how Dr Pam...
This week we’re talking about interoception. That's the way the brain interprets the many signals that come from the body. How useful is this skill, can you perfect it – and when might it have a more negative effect? In the studio with Claudia is health psychologist Professor Kavita Vedhara who explains why watching 15 minutes of the Two Ronnies, some Fawlty Towers and a bit of Elvis Presley, could boost how well your vaccine works. And Claudia meets a group from Essex who are finalists in this ...
Are you ok? It’s a question that might be at the front of your mind during a traumatic event. But how helpful is it and can it even make matters worse? We answer a very intriguing listener question. And in the studio with Claudia is Catherine Loveday, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, who’s excited about a study that has uncovered a fascinating way of measuring just how precise our memory is. Clue: It’s all about the eyes. We also reveal the latest finalist in the All in the Mind awards. This...
You’ve probably heard the term ADHD – or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – more and more in recent years. Almost 200,000 of you are waiting for a diagnosis and services are struggling to keep up with the demand. Last year twenty four different services told BBC Verify that it would take them eight years to get to everyone on their waiting lists. Now the NHS in England is setting up a taskforce to look at ADHD diagnoses. In this special programme on Adult ADHD, Claudia Hammond and guests...
A new series of All in the Mind kicks off with the first of the finalists in the All in the Mind Awards. Seven hundred of you entered the awards and our judging panel had the tricky task of choosing just nine finalists. The first of those is Rachel who was nominated by her husband Sam for all the support she offered him through his depression and psychosis. They tell Claudia Hammond their story. And in the studio with Claudia is Daryl O'Connor, Professor of Psychology at the University of Leeds....
In the second of two special holiday episodes Claudia Hammond and an expert panel of psychologists look to the future. A new year is upon us, a time when we often find ourselves reflecting on the year gone by and thinking about what comes next. Thinking about the future comes so naturally to most people that we don't realise what a complicated - and essential - skill it is. Catherine Loveday, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Westminster, explains how our ability to mental...
In the first of two special holiday episodes, Claudia Hammond and an expert panel of psychologists look back, nostalgically. At this festive time of year, you might be thinking wistfully about Christmas past – perhaps you’ll be rewatching old films, arguing over a game of Monopoly, or listening to Christmas music that drives you mad. Maybe you are looking back with rose-tinted spectacles on the Christmases gone by that seem somehow more magical than they are now. Or perhaps it’s hard to look bac...
Could we be misunderstanding eating disorders for some patients? Research suggests that more than 30 percent of inpatients being treated for an eating disorder are also autistic. Claudia Hamond talks to Professor Kate Tchanturia from Kings College London, and Fiona Hollings, expert by experience, who helped develop a new approach to treating eating disorders in people with autism. What are your strongest memories from your teenage years? For good and bad Dr Lucy Foulkes, from Oxford University, ...
Members of the UK military piloting unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, operate from Lincolnshire - a long way from frontline battlefields in the Middle East. Via their drones' cameras, they can watch their enemy targets for days or even weeks at a time. But while they might be physically safe, their close-up views of traumatic events can cause mental harm. In this episode, Claudia Hammond speaks to a former pilot of military drones. They are joined by Professor Dominic Murphy, w...
Functional Neurological Disorder, or FND, is the most common disorder you’ve probably never heard of. Some say it might be as common as MS or Parkinson’s and yet it’s not well known even by many medical professionals. It can cause seizures, paralysis, convulsions and changes in sensation, as well as pain, fatigue and memory difficulties. It’s caused by a problem with the system in the brain that connects us consciously into our bodies, leaving sufferers unable to access their bodies properly. Be...
Claudia Hammond has her surfboard and wetsuit at the ready to investigate whether surfing could improve her mental health. And she speaks to Ariane Gerami from the University of Bristol to find out whether the enthusiam for surfing to help your mental health is coming ahead of the evidence. Claudia is joined in the studio by psychologist Dr Peter Olusoga at Sheffield Hallam University. They talk about a study that's found the need for uniqueness has dwindled over the last 20 years. And one of ou...
Did someone amazing support you through mental health problems and would you like to recognise that support? Claudia Hammond launches the All in the Mind Awards where you can nominate individuals, professionals and groups who have helped you in your hardest times. Full details in the programme or by going to bbc.co.uk/radio4/allinthemind where you’ll also find full terms. Entries close 8th January 2025 at 1pm. We want to recognise friends, family, colleagues, professionals, groups who have suppo...
