All In The Mind is ABC RN's weekly podcast looking into the mental universe, the mind, brain and behaviour — everything from addiction to artificial intelligence.
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Developmental paediatrician Dr Billy Garvey has seen a lot of kids with behavioural issue over the years, and there are ten things he wishes all parents understood about their kids mental health. From insecure attachment to separation anxiety to emotional difficulties – he gives us the low down on why kids get labelled ‘bad’ – and what’s really going on (usually). You can catch up on more episodes of the All in the Mind podcast with journalist and presenter Sana Qadar, exploring the psychology o...
Difficult people are everywhere. Maybe you're one of them, or maybe you're about to sit through an awkward holiday situation with someone you REALLY don't know how to handle. This week, clinical psychologist Rachel Samson returns to answer all your questions on challenging people from the All in the Mind mailbox. How do I deal with my coworker who's crossing boundaries? Should I try and make peace with my problematic family member? We'll answer these questions and more — from how to avoid becomi...
From the prohibition era in the US, to gun control in Australia, bans have been used throughout history to change behaviour. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Sometimes, they lead to a whole lot of unintended consequences. With the social media ban for under-16’s taking effect this week, we uncover the three factors that can determine whether a ban is more likely to succeed or fail – and find out what the history of bans tells us about how effective this policy might be (or not). Plus –...
When bad things happen, do you berate yourself or treat yourself with compassion? Do you journal, meditate, or listen to music? Growing up, Sabrina McKenzie always turned to music to help her through her worst moments. As she got older and began studying psychology, she realised what she felt when she listened to sad or angry songs ... was self-compassion. In the field of positive psychology there’s plenty of research on how journalling and meditation can cultivate self-compassion (and plenty of...
We've come a long way in how we talk about mental health. But while diagnoses like depression and anxiety can empower people to seek help and support — they also influence how we see ourselves and how others might see us, too. Today, we investigate 'concept creep.' It's the idea that the labels we use to describe mental health are expanding and being applied to an ever-wider array of human behaviours. We look at what's causing this, the impacts it might have (both positive and negative), and wha...
This episode delves into the often-misunderstood world of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, particularly focusing on severe and "taboo" intrusive thoughts, such as those related to harming others or pedophilia (POCD). Guests Uma Chatterjee and Martin Ingle share their deeply personal struggles with these unwanted thoughts and the debilitating compulsions they triggered, highlighting the stark difference from common stereotypes of OCD. The discussion also covers the challenges of diagnosis, the ineffectiveness of traditional therapies, and the life-changing impact of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, emphasizing the ongoing journey of resilience and the critical need to break the silence and stigma surrounding these difficult experiences.
According to consumer psychology, there's a recipe for being cool. And surprisingly, the ingredients are similar across a bunch of countries and cultures. So today, we explore the concept of cool: what it says about our values and how it influences us. But be warned — if you try too hard to be cool, it might unravel your attempt before you even get there. You can catch up on more episodes of the All in the Mind podcast with journalist and presenter Sana Qadar, exploring the psychology of topics ...
You know how certain people are just… difficult? Maybe they're prickly to be around, don't take feedback well, or act like a narcissist? Today we're learning how to handle relationships with difficult people; from setting boundaries, to understanding the role of attachment and temperament on behaviour. Plus, is it ever the right time to cut someone off completely? And what's a 'highly sensitive person' (HSP)? Got a question about a difficult person in your life? Send us an email at mind_rn@abc.n...
Extreme emotional turmoil, fears of abandonment, huge amounts of stigma… These factors can make navigating a career when you have borderline personality disorder really tricky. But Rosie and Enya are making it happen. Today, how to navigate your working life when you have BPD. We hear from Enya, a listener who works on fishing boats while receiving treatment for her BPD, and Rosie, a teacher and author who decided to disclose her diagnosis with her workplace. How has borderline personality disor...
Long before Sarah's daughter Chloe Hayden became an award-winning actress starring in Netflix's Heartbreak High, she was a kid facing immense struggles. Chloe was sensitive to smells, lights and foods; she had no friends; she hated school. Sarah never suspected Chloe was autistic, but that’s only because her idea of what autism looked like came from the film Rain Man. Sarah is now a social worker and equine assisted therapist, working with neurodiverse families. In this episode, Sarah shares her...
We've all dreamt of lobbing our smartphone into the ocean and going off grid. So what happens when you follow through with it? For the final episode of Brain Rot, we speak to the people who decided they'd had enough. From a French village, to Gen Z 'luddites' in New York City and a group of parents in regional Victoria, there are clubs, campaigns and even laws dedicated to a smartphone-free life. But in 2025, how do you pull it off? And is it actually worth it? This episode originally aired on B...
Plenty of people will say they are addicted to the internet. But how well-recognised, scientifically, is an addiction … to your screen? In episode four of Brain Rot, we dig into how behavioural addictions work. And we hear from self-described internet addicts about the treatment programs helping them manage their relationship with technology. This episode originally aired on Brain Rot , a series of the ABC podcast Science Friction . Sana will be back with all-new episodes of All in the Mind in m...
We're trusting tech with more tasks than ever — including the ones our brains once did. We're Googling things we used to know, taking screenshots of things we'll instantly forget, and hoarding all kinds of data we'll never check again. On this episode of Brain Rot: is tech giving your brain a holiday, or putting it out of a job? You'll also meet a guy who's turned the tables, by using AI to help recover his lost memories. This episode originally aired on Brain Rot , a series of the ABC podcast S...
Whether it’s social media, the omnipresent smartphone or AI companions, in recent decades the way we relate to each other has been completely up-ended. In episode two of Brain Rot, we explore the potential implications that tech poses to human relationships. Worldwide estimates suggest there are around one billion users of AI companions — people using software or applications designed to simulate human-like interactions through text and voice. So if the uptake of these AI companions is as rapid ...
Everyone seems to have a hunch that their phone is destroying their attention span, but is there any science to back it up? In episode one of Brain Rot, we’re doing our best to focus on the topic of attention for a full 25 minutes — and find out what's actually happening in your brain every time your phone buzzes or dings. Is brain rot a real thing? Or just another moral panic? And how do you know when your own screen use has gone too far? This episode originally aired on Brain Rot , a series of...
Revenge feels sweet... At least for a moment. James Kimmel Jr knows that better than most. As a lawyer, he made a career out of helping clients get payback. But the drive for revenge started to eat away at him, threatening to destroy his work life and relationships. Coming back from the brink, he started to wonder — why are we drawn to payback? What impacts does it have on the brain? And can revenge ever be addictive? In this episode, we explore some of the neuroscience of revenge: what's going ...
Five years of unpaid taxes. Homework handed in on the last day of an extension. Some people are champion procrastinators. Why? And what does task paralysis (sometimes called ADHD paralysis) have to do with it? Today: the personality traits that make you more prone to procrastination, the types of tasks we're most likely to put off, and what to do if your to-do list sends you into fight-or-flight mode. You can catch up on more episodes of the All in the Mind podcast with journalist and presenter ...
If you opened up a magazine in the 2000s, you'd likely be met by countless images of celebrities on their worst days. And the conversation accompanying those images? Pretty toxic. We've come a long way in how we talk about mental health since then, but how did we get here? What changed? Today, we reflect on the cruelty of tabloid culture and how the internet shifted the narrative about mental health. If you want to hear more about our relationship with celebrities, check out our episode Moog bec...
When was the last time you decluttered? Was it a satisfying process, or did it fill you with dread? Where you sit on the clutter spectrum differs person to person, so today, we investigate if decluttering is worth the hype. Why can it be so hard for some people? Could there be a way to reduce clutter before it builds up? And what's the relationship between hoarding disorder and clutter? If you want to hear more about our relationship with objects, check out Why do we love collecting? Guests: Pro...
In this "Mailbag Edition" of All In The Mind, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Rajan Darjee returns to address listener queries about serial killers. The discussion delves into their demographics, the nature vs. nurture of empathy, the effectiveness of rehabilitation, and the key differences between serial killers and mass shooters. Dr. Darjee also shares insights into his professional approach when working with challenging individuals.
Have you ever felt like things were not quite real? That you were no longer connected to your body or didn’t know who you were? Nathan Dunne felt this way for years. And it’s never quite stopped affecting the way he sees himself or the world around him. Today, depersonalisation disorder — and what we know about its symptoms, causes and treatments. And a heads up, this episode discusses heavy topics such as suicide. Please take care while listening. You can catch up on more episodes of the All in...
Love it or hate it, there are reasons you might read your star sign and relate to what it says about you as a person. We all fall into cognitive traps — but if we’re aware of them, is it such a bad thing to indulge in your daily horoscope, or a tarot card reading? Today, we delve into the occult, to understand why some people seek messages from the universe, and if it can play a role in therapeutic care. If you want to hear more about otherworldly beliefs, check out our episode Spooky science: W...
The backpacker killer. The Claremont killer. Ted Bundy. The crimes serial killers commit linger in our memories for decades. But when was the last time you heard about an active serial killer in the news? In our final episode of Criminal Psychology, we probe the lead-crime hypothesis, find out about 'chemical castration' and ask — where have all the serial killers gone? And a heads up that this episode explores some heavy themes including sexual assault, child abuse, suicide and murder. It also ...
Explore the misunderstood mental health condition kleptomania, characterized by a compulsive urge to steal. Hear from Lynn, who shares her lifelong struggle with these urges, the associated guilt, shame, and the challenges of seeking a diagnosis and effective treatment. Psychiatrist Dr. Sam Chamberlain explains kleptomania as an impulse control disorder, discussing its prevalence, links to conditions like OCD, potential causes, and current treatment approaches including therapy and medication like Naltrexone. The episode highlights the significant anxiety and isolation experienced by those living with kleptomania and emphasizes the importance of seeking confidential help and providing non-judgmental support.
Australians know the devastation of bushfires all too well. So why would anyone deliberately light a fire? In this episode of Criminal Psychology, our new four-part series on unusual crimes and unusual minds, we're exploring the psychology of arson. Answering questions like, how does it relate to pyromania? What do we know about the profile of a typical arsonist? And how do investigators track down the source of a blaze? Guests: Dr Paul ReadClimate criminologist Dr Nichola TylerSenior lecturer, ...
Why would any parent lie about their child's health? Or worse, intentionally make their child sick? In episode one of Criminal Psychology, our new four-part series on unusual crimes and unusual minds, we dive into a disorder that’s long been sensationalised in the media: Munchausen by Proxy – and ask: how do these parents get away with their lies? Can their behaviour ever be reformed? Guests: Brenda Bursch, PhDDirector, Pediatric Psychology in Outpatient Subspecialty Pediatrics ProgramProfessor ...
On All in the Mind, we investigate why people behave the way they do. But there are some perspectives we don't often hear about. Introducing Criminal Psychology, a special series diving into just that. On this four-episode series, we'll cover arson, kleptomania, serial killers and Munchausen by proxy as we look at what drives people to the extremes of human behaviour. And we'll examine how our understanding of the human mind can better help us to prevent harm. Whether you're a dedicated fan of t...
Time and time again, Dr Rangan Chatterjee has seen chronic stress wreak havoc on his patients' lives — contributing to autoimmune disorders, gut problems, low libido and more. But the most devastating blow struck his own family, when his father's punishing work schedule forced him to medically retire in his 50s. It’s an experience that led Rangan to rethink his own work and approach to medicine. Today, Dr Chatterjee, a GP and host of a mega popular wellbeing podcast, shares his story, as well as...
Loneliness hurts. And we know it's bad for us, worse than smoking or obesity. Even though a third of us are lonely, we're embarrassed to say so. So, what would happen if we talked about our loneliness openly? And how can we build more meaningful connections? This week we have a special episode from our friends at Ladies, We Need To Talk . Host Yumi Stynes speaks to women who are lonely, one within a marriage and one hoping to find a partner, to understand the toll it can take. Plus, psychologist...
Concussions are hard to diagnose, often get missed, and don't always get taken seriously. And if you're not a professional athlete, it can be surprisingly hard to get clear information on how to manage and recover afterwards. Why? The brain is your most important organ, after all! This week, we try and make sense of the confusion around concussions. This episode was first broadcast in October 2023. Guests:Dr Lewis FreethPsychiatrist Kate Naznin Virji-BabulPhysical therapist and neuroscientistAss...
