All In The Mind
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.
Episodes
What self-help advice is actually useful?
Today, we're making sense of the tips, tricks and treatments that the self-help landscape has to offer.So whether you're keen to try exposure therapy, tackle your need for validation or restructure your thinking, we'll unpack the psychology so you can improve your life.Guests:Dr Jeremy StevensonClinical psychologistCo-author, The 12 Levers: The Complete Psychological Toolkit For
Is AI the end of creativity and cognition?
As the headlines get scarier, a neuroscientist and an English professor weigh in on some of our big questions about AI.From cognitive offloading to memory and creativity, we'll examine what AI can offer and what should be kept for human minds.Sophie Gee and Reuben Rideaux appear in Where's the AI Off Switch? on 4 October, co-presented with The University of Sydney, as part of Cur
Trying to read more? Your brain will thank you
Reading is good for you, but fiction has added benefits.So how does reading work in the brain? Why are stories so impactful? And why, in this era of book clubs and booktok, are literacy rates not thriving?Get your votes in for Radio National's Top 100 Books Countdown before October 1st. Guests:Professor Genevieve McArthurAustralian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy, ACUDirec
Hypochondria and cyberchondria: the many ways to worry about health
How do you know if you have health anxiety?For mental health nurse Sarah, she had real health concerns, but they were coupled with panic, spiralling worries and late nights googling her symptoms. So how can you tell if your concerns are causing more harm than good?Today, we're demystifying health anxiety. From the impact it has on individuals, to family and friends, to the flow o
Burnout: the warning signs and how to stop it
Sally Gould was a couple of years into her dream job as a paramedic when it all started to fall apart.It wasn’t the trauma and injury she was exposed to on shifts that was getting to her. It was everything else - the hours, the nonsense callouts, the bullying.The experience would leave her isolated and thinking of suicide. But she found a way back.Today, an episode for those of y
When meditation goes wrong: part two
Meditation sickness, meditation-related adverse effects or meditators in distress – you probably haven't heard these terms, even if you do meditate.Yet research finds adverse effects occur in half of all meditators. For one in 10, it impairs their functioning or lasts more than a month.Experts say many people can benefit from meditation, but it can also come with harms.Today, the
When meditation goes wrong: part one
Meditation has a lot of benefits, but could it also have risks?Over the past decade, meditation and mindfulness have been promoted to reduce stress and increase relaxation.But there is another story of meditation that rarely gets told... one that involves anxiety, insomnia — even psychosis.Today, how one person went from being an evangelical mindfulness meditator, to a leading re
Why do we crave closure?
Closure can feel like the ultimate solution to help us heal. But is it all it's cracked up to be?Today, we learn about ambiguous loss — the type of grief that comes without closure. We know navigating uncertainty is tricky, so what practical steps can we take to process this kind of loss?A heads up, this episode touches on some heavy topics around loss and trauma.Guests:Carly Dob
Why should I spend time in nature?
Nature is good for our wellbeing. But how much green space does a community need, before you can see a wellbeing boost?And how do we encourage people to spend more time outdoors?This episode first aired in September 2023.In celebration of National Science Week, make sure to vote in ABC Radio National's poll for Australia's most amazing wildflower.Guests:Belinda McCawleyFounder, M
Dark tourism, selfies and moral outrage
Since the days of gladiator battles and public hangings, dark tourism — our attraction to places linked to death and despair — has been a part of human behaviour.But there's something in the 21st century that's causing debate… Selfies.Digital media isn't all bad though. It's also creating opportunities for authentic storytelling.Today, we examine what dark tourism is, if it's eth
From gaming addiction to healthy gamer: Dr K's story
Why is gaming addictive? How do you know if it's a problem? And what should parents do if they're worried about their kids' gaming habits?This week, psychiatrist and author Dr Alok Kanojia (Dr K) unpacks gaming addiction.Long before Dr K was the co-founder of Healthy Gamer, he had his own story of addiction — playing for 20 hours a day and failing out of uni. How did he turn his
How can I become more securely attached?
Whether you're anxious or avoidant, there are steps you can take to make your relationships more secure. And the benefits extend beyond dating — finding secure people can help you build a community and maybe even live longer.Today, neuroscientist, psychiatrist and author Dr Amir Levine joins Sana to discuss all things secure attachment. From tiny meaningful moments with strangers
Oppositional defiant disorder and bad behaviour in schools
Aggression, not listening, interruptions ... bad behaviour is on the rise in schools. What's causing this trend? Is it parenting styles or the pandemic?Nurse Erin has had plenty of challenges with her son, leaving her family at the end of their tether. But one therapy just clicked.Today, a family's story of oppositional defiant disorder and giving Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
We're all stressed. What should we do about it?
How stressed have you been lately? Are you heading towards burn out?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. I
‘Should have been my birthright’ - the journey to reclaim a lost language
Languages are so much more than words and sounds — they encode culture and shape our identity. So how do you connect to your culture, if language is lost?While many Indigenous languages have already been lost, and more are at risk of extinction, in Australia, people are increasingly trying to revitalise certain Indigenous languages.ABC Radio National presenter and Gamilaraay woma
From death to divorce: getting through the worst losses of your life
At some point in our lives, we all face the question, "how will I ever get through this?". You know the moments — a sudden loss, a messy break up, an unexpected diagnosis or a career halted…These questions are close to Lucy Hone's heart, not just because of her work as a resilience researcher, but also because of her own experiences of life-altering grief.So today, Dr Lucy Hone s
Fame, isolation and terror: inside the mind of a lone mass killer
What is it that drives a person to mass murder?It's a question forensic psychiatrist Professor Paul Mullen has made a life's study of.While these devastating events can at times appear random — he says that taken together, from Port Arthur to Dunblane to Texas — patterns emerge that tell us about the motivations of lone mass killers.It's often to do with isolation, vengeance and
Emotionally immature parents and grandparents: what to do if you have them (or are one)
Should you consider estrangement from an emotionally immature parent? How do you process the grief of realising your more stable parent … might have been a passive enabler? And what should you do if you realise you are an emotionally immature parent?This week, clinical psychologist and author Lindsay Gibson is answering your questions about emotionally immature parents. Each fami
Handling emotionally immature parents, raising emotionally mature kids
If you've never had good parenting modelled to you, how do you raise emotionally mature kids?Clinical psychologist Dr Lindsay Gibson has thoughts. You might remember Lindsay from our extremely popular 2021 episode titled 'The damage done by emotionally immature parents (and how to heal)'. This week, she's back on All in the Mind, talking about the next generation.From the differe
How to catch a liar (it's harder than you think)
Rebecca figured out a brilliant way to catch her partner in a lie. It led to a career in forensic psychology…These days, Rebecca studies lie detection, and it turns out, people generally overestimate their ability to tell fact from fiction. All the classic clues — body language, eye contact, acting nervous … they don't really hold up when put to the test.In our fourth and final p
Ambiguous crimes and inattentional blindness: the science of eyewitness memory
If you saw a crime, how clearly would you remember it? What about if you were questioned years… even decades later?Eyewitness testimony is an important part of the justice system, so how much do we know about our ability to recall details?In part three of our four-part series, Forensic, we take a deeper look at eyewitness memory. Because it's not just about what we can or can't r
Confessing to a crime you didn't commit
Imagine police are interrogating you over a crime you didn't commit. If you're innocent, you're safe, right? Wrong.Sometimes, being innocent can make you more likely to confess. How is that possible?In part two of our four-part series, Forensic, we learn about the police interviewing techniques that make false confessions more likely, and the bizarre cases in which people come to
Can criminal profiling identify a killer?
Criminal profiling promises a lot — being able to piece together a picture of a suspect through clues, intuition and psychology sounds great. But how reliable is it?In our first episode of Forensic, a four-part series unpacking the psychological tools used to solve crimes, we examine the history of criminal profiling. How it got popular in the 1950s after bombings in New York Cit
INTRODUCING — Forensic
Forget everything you’ve learned from crime dramas.Forensic is a new podcast series from All in the Mind on ABC Radio National that takes you behind the psychological tools used to solve crimes.Across four episodes, we investigate criminal profiling, false confessions, eyewitness memory and lie detection, revealing what actually works, what doesn’t, and the surprising ways things
Our millennia-long obsession with immortality
Would you want to live forever? The rich and powerful certainly do. There are numerous examples throughout history of people going to extreme lengths in search of immortality. These days, it's Silicon Valley tech bros, testing out everything from blood transfusions to merging our brains with the cloud.Why are they/we so obsessed with dodging death? What is it about extreme wealth
Pretty privilege, surgery stigma and the cosmetic procedure paradox
Cosmetic procedures aren't reserved for celebrities anymore - they're becoming more and more accessible for every day people. So if we're able to alter our looks or avoid the appearance of aging altogether, what impact does this have on our psychology?Today, we examine how changing our faces might change how we see each other.Please note, this episode includes some discussion of
The psychology behind our moral outrage
Politics, war, abortion, gun control — why do some topics make us so outraged?One theory is that our preoccupation with preventing harm is to blame.So today, we examine how humans developed morality, why we differ in what we consider right and wrong, and how that drives us to moral outrage.And after all of that, we'll find out how to have better conversations with people you disa
Staying sane in space
In the last couple of weeks, a lot of people have been getting excited about space exploration thanks to Artemis II.So this week, we revisit an episode from our archives all about life as an astronaut and the psychological impacts of long distance space travel. And if you enjoy this episode, check out Artemis Explained, a podcast from the Science Friction team, following the Arte
Mind Hacks with Dr Billy Garvey: "being a bit kinder to myself"
Welcome back to All in the Mind's little sister: Mind Hacks. In this episode, we're joined by developmental paediatrician and co-host of Pop Culture Parenting, Dr Billy Garvey. From self compassion to channelling anger into advocacy, Billy shares his own strategies for managing bad days.On Mind Hacks, we're bringing you bonus content with special guests, featuring rapid fire ques
Tantrums, sleep training and anxiety: Dr Billy Garvey answers your parenting questions
How can I help my child with anxiety? What's the deal with sleep training? Are we supposed to ignore tantrums?This week, we've invited developmental paediatrician Dr Billy Garvey back on All in the Mind for a mailbag episode. We'll unpack your parenting dilemmas which cover questions about kids of all ages, from the littlest of newborns right through to teenagers. So whether you'
The psychology of masturbation
This week we're talking about something intimate… and sometimes taboo: masturbation.From self-love, to disordered behaviour and back again, we explore how our perceptions of masturbation have changed over the course of history and why it's still linked to shame and confusion for some.Also, why do humans (and other animals) masturbate in the first place?Just a heads up, if the top
Mind Hacks: Casey Beros
Welcome back to All in the Mind's little sister: Mind Hacks. In this episode, health journalist and author Casey Beros on managing your inner critic, balancing competing appetites for more and less in life, and filtering out the external voices to chart your own course in life.Each week on Mind Hacks, we're bringing you bonus content with special guests, featuring rapid fire ques
Tough conversations and anticipatory grief: being a carer
When Casey Beros' dad was diagnosed with mesothelioma, she knew her entire world would change. More than three million Australians are carers — a role people are often thrust into without any kind of map. So based on her own experience, Casey wrote one.On All in the Mind this week, what it takes to be a carer for a loved one. How to get through the tough conversations and difficu
Family estrangement and infidelity: Esther Perel answers your questions
How do you grieve a dying parent you're estranged from? Do cheaters ever change? People say love should feel 'easy', is that true?Psychotherapist Esther Perel is back on All in the Mind, answering your questions about heartbreak, loss, and love in this extra special mailbag episode.We've got questions on how to reconnect with estranged siblings, what to do when global conflicts i
Mind Hacks: Joel Pearson
Welcome back to All in the Mind's little sister: Mind Hacks. In this episode, cognitive neuroscientist Joel Pearson tells us how he manages his own stress (clue: it involves saunas!)Each week on Mind Hacks, we're bringing you bonus content with special guests, featuring rapid fire questions about their mental health tips and pet peeves. It's like a psychology version of eff, marr
Is AI making our brains lazier?
Social media gave us brain rot; will AI give us cognitive atrophy? How can we possibly learn to cope with the sheer amount of uncertainty and change heading our way?Cognitive neuroscientist Joel Pearson is back on the show, two years after his mega popular appearance in our episode titled "Scarier than killer robots": why your mind isn't ready for AI.In this episode we cover the
Mind Hacks: Esther Perel
Introducing All in the Mind's little sister: Mind Hacks. Each week, we'll bring you bonus content with special guests, featuring rapid fire questions about their mental health tips and pet peeves. It's like a psychology version of eff, marry kill!Kicking off our first episode is none other than Esther Perel. What mental health advice would she avoid at all costs?We're going to te
Couples therapy with an AI partner? Esther Perel's just done it
Psychotherapist and relationship expert Esther Perel has had a lot of 'firsts' over her four decade-long career — counselling her first polyamorous relationship, or her first gay couple navigating surrogacy. Now, she's just done her first session with a man and his AI 'girlfriend'…Did she struggle to take this ‘couple’ seriously? What kind of love can someone really form with a c
We want your parenting questions
Developmental paediatrician Dr Billy Garvey is returning to All in the Mind and we'd love to ask him your questions!Billy is an expert on kids' mental health — last time he was on the show we discussed what's really going on with kids who are labelled "bad"; including insecure attachment, separation anxiety and emotional difficulties. He co-hosts Pop Culture Parenting and is the
Why do we choke under pressure?
The siren has sounded. The scores are even. A footy player has one final chance to kick an easy goal to get his team into the finals.He's right in front of the goals. He lines up. Kicks. Misses. The pressure of such a moment was phenomenal, and the player choked under it.So what happens in the brain during such intense periods? Why can some people remain calm while others can't h
Can 'normalisation of deviance' help to explain a catastrophe?
40 years ago, NASA experienced one of its most devastating disasters.The Challenger space shuttle disintegrated just 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crew members.How had this happened? And did the culture of NASA have anything to do with it?In this episode, we dig into a concept called 'normalisation of deviance', which has been touted as an explanation for this incide
Got a question for Esther Perel?
Renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel is coming to All in the Mind! And we'd love to ask her some of your questions.Esther Perel is an internationally recognised couples therapist. You might know her as the author of Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs. Family, sex, intimacy, friendship, betrayal - Esther covers it all. So if you have any thorny relationship questions yo
The paradox of petty problems: Why small annoyances can snowball
Slow walkers. Unmelted cheese in a toastie. Bad formatting in documents. If these small annoyances make you weirdly mad, you're not alone (in fact, you're human). But when little pet peeves add up, they can contribute much bigger problems like chronic stress. So what can you do about it?Today: why small annoyances have such an outsized impact; why judging yourself doesn't help; a
Grief and guilt: losing a loved one to suicide
When Blake's dad died by suicide, it came as a complete shock. Overwhelming grief, combined with confusion and guilt — it uprooted his life. The loss made him rethink his own mental health, and eventually, channel that into the community — fundraising and taking on three world records.Today, we're talking about suicide bereavement; how it can affect family and friends, its long l
Driving me mad: why we get road rage
Simon considers himself a calm, conscientious, conflict-avoidant type of person. But in the car, his personality flips — and it scares him.It can be hard to admit, but many of us do experience road rage.So what is it about being in the driver's seat that makes us so quick to anger? And does the type of car a person drives have anything to do with their propensity for aggression?T
The cognitive distortions of a high achiever
Over years of practice, clinical psychologist Dr Mary Anderson started to notice a peculiar pattern across her many clients.Despite being impressive high achievers on the outside, inside they were struggling with burnout, imposter syndrome, anxiety and self-criticism.So she set out to develop a guide for these high achievers. A framework to support their success ... without sacri
Healing from self-hatred
Many of us have felt self loathing at some point in our lives — maybe when you've failed at an important task at work, or lost an important relationship.But some people hate themselves all the time — their inner monologue is a constant drumbeat of self-criticism and self-loathing. Where does this kind of all-encompassing self-hate come from? And is there a way to unlearn it?We sp
The fight for focus in a world of distraction
Be honest, how many times have you checked your notifications in the last hour? Or opened a new, totally unrelated tab? Or stopped what you're doing even though you really need to do it?Distractions are everywhere. And whether they're self-imposed or coming from our environment, it can be hard to focus.Today, we explore the ramifications of our rapidly shrinking attention spans,
Got the ick? Dating, disgust and evolutionary psychology
Have you ever experienced "the ick"?It's that sudden, visceral feeling of being put off by someone you're dating. Maybe it's their hat, a hobby or even the way they laugh.Stories of the ick are prolific online, but it leaves us with a question - what causes it? To separate red flags from disgust, we get into the psychology of the ick - why you might feel icky, if it should be a d
What to know about kids mental health
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
Difficult people and radical acceptance: answering your questions about tricky relationships
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 tr
From prohibition to social media - what makes bans succeed ... or fail?
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 succe
The music that saves us
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 p
If everything is traumatic, is anything traumatic? The power of labels
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
‘What if I’m a paedophile?’ The intrusive thoughts that haunted Uma
You've probably experienced intrusive thoughts — bizarre, fleeting, sometimes inappropriate thoughts that cross your mind without warning. Although these can be weird to experience, they're totally normal.But for people with obsessive compulsive disorder these thoughts can become inescapable — leading to worry, compulsions and shame.Today we're talking about OCD, because it's oft
Consumer behaviour and the quest for cool
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 e
Narcissist, or just a pain? How to deal with difficult people
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 'hig
How borderline personality disorder makes it harder to hold down a job
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,
From school avoidance to food anxieties: navigating neurodiverse parenting
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
Brain Rot: Meet the people who ditched their smartphones
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 smartph
Brain Rot: Internet addiction
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 R
Brain Rot: What is tech doing to your memory?
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 usi
Brain Rot: Will AI turn us off human relationships?
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 desig
Brain Rot: Is your phone destroying your attention span?
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
Why revenge feels good — and what it costs
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 brai
Task paralysis and procrastination - why it's so hard to get sh*t done
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 f
Cruel intentions: how toxic tabloids and celebrity culture changed the way we talk about mental health
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 a
Is clutter making you feel bad?
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 clu
Serial killers: answering your questions about how they think
Can serial killers ever learn empathy? Is their psychology similar to mass shooters? Why are they almost always men?Welcome to All in the Mind’s first ever ‘mailbag’ episode!These are just some of the many questions you sent us after our recent episode on serial killers, called Where have all the serial killers gone?Forensic psychiatrist Dr Rajan Darjee is back on the show, answe
Depersonalisation — when nothing feels real
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 discuss
Divination isn’t scientific, but can it ever be therapeutic?
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 ro
Where have all the serial killers gone?
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
Kleptomania: when compulsive stealing takes over your life
What drives some people to steal compulsively?This week, as part of our special four-part series Criminal Psychology, we're talking about kleptomania and the impact it can have on a person's life.We speak to someone who’s been diagnosed with kleptomania about their experiences; from their urges to steal, to the guilt and shame they feel.We also chat to a psychiatrist about what t
Pyromania vs revenge – why do people light fires?
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 investi
Munchausen by Proxy: when parents hurt their kids
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 refor
INTRODUCING — Criminal Psychology
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 exam
Chronically stressed? These small changes can help
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 approac
Loneliness — you're not alone, from Ladies, We Need To Talk
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 lon
The confusion about concussions
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 i
Managing your emotions so they don't manage you
Avoiding your emotions is generally a recipe for disaster — but Ethan Kross makes a case for occasional 'strategic' avoidance.He’s a professor of psychology from the University of Michigan, and he’s appeared in some of our most popular episodes: Controlling the chatter in your head and What influences your inner voice? Controlling 'chatter' part two.He’s back to share more tools
