Podcast · Free
All in the Mind
BBC Radio 4
A long-running guide to psychology, neuroscience, and mental health, grounded and humane.
Depression that's hard to treat
In presenting All in the Mind for 20 years, Claudia has explored the idea several times that depression is not just one thing, but more of an umbrella term and that different causes might need different solutions. For this special edition focussing on hard to treat depression, sh
How do we judge someone’s emotions?
Claudia Hammond chats to All in the Mind Awards judge, writer and former doctor Adam Kay. Adam shares his mental health first aid kit, the importance of saying thank you and why you should nominate someone for an Award. Plus, how do you judge another person’s emotions? New resear
The psychology of ghosting
Have you ever had a partner or friend suddenly stop all communication without any explanation? This week we're talking all about the psychology of ghosting.Is ghosting another person ever acceptable? And if we want to reject someone, how can we do it more kindly? And Claudia visi
All in the Mind Awards launch and how music can impact Parkinson’s
The All in the Mind Awards are back for 2027, and nominations are open now!Claudia Hammond hears from previous finalists on what the Awards mean to them – and Sir Stephen Fry sends in a special note on why the Awards are so important.Also, how can music make a difference to life
Are we too quick to label ‘normal’ distress?
Most of us have experienced difficult feelings like grief or stress or sadness – but are we too quick to label these feelings as a mental health problem? Clinical psychologist and author of You Are Not a Diagnosis Tanya Byron thinks we are – and we should also stop saying things
Can you change your personality?
Are you an extrovert or an introvert? A type A or a type B? Or maybe you don't care about the categories but you would like to be less shy or more organised? Claudia Hammond and her panel of experts discuss personality in front of a live audience at Cheltenham Science Festival. P
Is it ADHD or perimenopause?
Are ADHD-like symptoms during perimenopause just down to hormonal changes or could they actually be revealing undiagnosed ADHD? Brain fog can be a key symptom of both, which means it's not always easy to tell the difference, leaving women unsure. 'Scummy Mummies' podcaster Helen
The promise of psychedelics
With moves to fast-track research into psychedelics to treat serious mental health conditions in the US and a flurry of new scientific studies, we look at the issue here. How convincing is the evidence that drugs like psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, can help
Political emotions; Shared play; Forgotten women in psychology
In this week’s programme, guest Catherine Loveday, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Westminster, talks to Claudia Hammond about whether people feel emotions about politics differently in the body to everyday emotions. Visiting the Institute for the Scienc
Could a keto diet help treat bipolar depression?
Claudia Hammond explores intriguing early evidence that a ketogenic diet - high fat, low carbs - might help treat bipolar depression.We already know this diet can help with some kinds of epilepsy. But now, after a promising pilot study, the Wellcome trust is funding a £7.9 milli
How does reading fiction impact our imagination and mental health?
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
What do out-of-body experiences tell us about consciousness?
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