All in the Mind

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 ro...

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. ...

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 n...

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 ma...

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 wit...

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 ver...

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...

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 curios...

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...

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...

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...

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 h...

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 work...

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 ...

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...

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 Dar...

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 ...

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...

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 ...