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BBC Radio 4


The show on how we think, feel and behave. Claudia Hammond delves into the evidence on mental health, psychology and neuroscience.


All in the Mind

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 study to help them unlock the secrets of vivid memory. Postdoctoral researchers Kasia Mojescik and Martha McGill tell Claudia how they plan to find out what makes a memory vivid, why some memories are more vivid than others, and how people can get involved in their work.

And Claudia is joined in the studio by Catherine Loveday, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Westminster. Catherine brings us new research on how state-level income inequality can impact how children’s brains develop, and the myriad ways music can affect dining experiences.

If you'd like to take part in the vivid memories research survey, you can find it here: https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/research/memory/get-involved/ 

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Sophie Ormiston
Editor: Ilan Goodman
Studio Manager: Donald MacDonald
Production coordinator: Jana Holesworth

Are there multiple subtypes of autism, and how vivid are your memories?

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 classified as a mental health condition in 2013. 

So what causes this complex and little discussed issue – and is it more than just a problem of too much stuff? 

Claudia visits a woman who describes how hoarding has taken over her life to the extent that she doesn’t let anyone into her home. We also meet her psychologist to understand what underpins hoarding disorder and how it’s treated. 

And joining us in the studio is Daryl O’Connor, professor of psychology at the University of Leeds, who brings an intriguing study about a phenomenon known as “environmental sensitivity”. 

He explains what it is and its new-found links with very common mental health conditions.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Gerry Holt 
Content editor: Ilan Goodman
Production coordinator: Jana Holesworth
Studio engineer: Tim Heffer

Details of organisations offering help and support with mental health or self-harm are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Why do we hoard?

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, The Celebrity Traitors starts this Wednesday on BBC One. To convince their fellow contestants that they’re innocent, the Traitors have to be pretty good at deception. But how can the Faithfuls successfully identify their lies? Claudia speaks to Sharon Leal, senior research fellow in forensic psychology at the University of Portsmouth, to scrutinise the psychological evidence on deceit – and Sharon’s research has real life impacts on how police conduct their interviews.

 And Claudia is joined in the studio by Pete Olusoga, senior lecturer in psychology at Sheffield Hallam University. Pete shares new research that suggests the bigger a problem is, the smaller it seems, and how being nosy at work could be causing undue stress. 

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Sophie Ormiston
Editor: Ilan Goodman
Studio Manager: Emma Harth
Production coordinator: Jana Holesworth

What is beliefism, and can you spot a liar?

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 be effective? 

As its real-world use far outpaces the evidence, we’ll find out the potential pitfalls – and positives.

Can AI therapy really help us?

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Presenter's friend: Professor Catherine Loveday
Producer: Gerry Holt
Researcher: Mohan Shi
Content editor: Ilan Goodman
Production coordinator: Jana Holesworth

Details of organisations offering support with mental health, or feelings of despair are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

The rise of AI therapy

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
Producers: Lorna Stewart, Hannah Fisher & Gerry Holt
Content Editor: Glyn Tansley
Awards Coordinators: Jana Bennett-Holesworth & Siobhan Maguire

If you are suffering distress or despair, details of help and support are available at BBC Action Line.

All in the Mind Awards Ceremony

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. They are... 

Tim Peake – astronaut, test pilot and author. His lifelong curiosity took him to live for six months on the International Space station. While he was there he famously ran the London Marathon on a treadmill and he was the first British astronaut to walk in space. 

Gosia Goclowska - a lecturer in the department of psychology at the University of Bath. She researches some of the more unusual emotions we experience such as curiosity, awe and surprise. 

And Matthias Gruber - an associate professor of psychology at the University of Cardiff. His research focuses on the neuroscience of curiosity and learning. 

Producer: Lorna Stewart
Production Coordinator: Jana Holesworth
Sound Engineers: Gayl Gordon and Giles Aspen

The Psychology of Curiosity at Cheltenham Science Festival

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 fascinates us so much - and what can twins teach us about ourselves and the human experience?

Claudia is joined in the studio by Daryl O’Connor, professor of psychology at the University of Leeds, and handily a twin himself, to dive headfirst into the evidence on twin relationships.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond 
Producers: Gerry Holt (a twin) & Hannah Fisher 
Studio Manager: Tim Heffer 
Editor: Glyn Tansley 
Production coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth (has twins)

If you are suffering distress or despair, details of help and support are available at BBC Action Line.

All About Twins

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 playful approach to life to help us cope in difficult times. 

And we reveal more of our All in the Mind Awards finalists ahead of this month’s ceremony, including the story of a lifesaving breastfeeding group, and a nurse who was a rock for someone going through difficult psychiatric treatment. 

Presenter: Claudia Hammond 
Producers: Gerry Holt & Hannah Fisher 
Studio Manager: Phil Lander 
Editor: Glyn Tansley

Are you flourishing? And why a playful approach can help us cope

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 meets another All in the Mind Awards finalist. This time it's Flynn Mellor, nominated by his mum Janine for his unwavering care whilst she was unwell. Claudia visits the pair at home and hears from Janine how Flynn's support saved her life.

The All in the Mind Awards ceremony takes place at the BBC Radio Theatre in London on 18 June, and there is a ballot for free tickets which closes at midday on 31 May. You can enter online by going to www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows.

If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, including urgent support, a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producers: Sophie Ormiston, Hannah Fisher and Gerry Holt
Studio Manager: Emma Harth
Editor: Glyn Tansley

Aha moments and contagious laughter

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 Pampaloni's treatment has helped Duncan have his first year of stability in 20 years. 

And Claudia visits the group KidsTime Haringey, nominated by Chuks. KidsTime works with families where the parents have mental health disorders, and we hear how the group has helped Chuks rebuild his relationship with his children through specialised workshops and sessions.

The All in the Mind Awards ceremony takes place at the BBC Radio Theatre in London on 18 June, and there is a ballot for free tickets which closes at midday on 31 May. You can enter online by going to www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows.

If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, including urgent support, a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producers: Sophie Ormiston, Hannah Fisher, Gerry Holt
Studio Manager: Tim Heffer
Editor: Glyn Tansley

The state of mental health services and more All in the Mind Awards finalists

An ancient memory training technique is being used to help people with depression. When someone is depressed they can find it hard to remember happier times. Dr Tim Dalgleish's study used the method of loci, associating familiar places with positive memories.

What is the best way to treat mental health problems around the world?
Vikram Patel, a Wellcome Trust Senior Fellow with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Sangath Centre in Goa in India, and Professor Pat Bracken, Psychiatrist and Clinical Director of the Mental Health Service in West Cork in Ireland, debate the extent to which a western psychiatric model can be used in low and middle income countries.

New research by Helen Weng from the University of Wisconcin Madison has shown that a short course in meditation can increase altruism.

Memory and depression; Global mental health; Compassion training

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