For years, psychologist Patricia Harney avoided true crime podcasts and documentaries. They hit too close to home.

Recently she's been testing the waters, and noticing these whodunnit shows often leave out a crucial element of the story.

This episode was first broadcast in July 2023

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All in the Mind is doing its first-ever listener survey — can you tell us a bit about who you are and why you listen? We'd love to understand you better!

We’ve kept the survey snappy — it's only seven questions. We’re especially keen to know the age range of our listeners.

Take the survey here: https://forms.microsoft.com/r/pMNc8TK7b7

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Chat bots as therapists. Apps that can track your mood and behaviour, offering earlier detection of psychiatric illness.

There's a lot happening at the nexus of mental health and AI – some of it promising, some of it perilous.

Today, science writer and author of The Silicon Shrink, Daniel Oberhaus, takes us on a journey through this emerging space. We'll look at the potential benefits, the major limitations and the ethics of adding AI into our mental health mix.

And just a heads up, this episode touches on the topic of suicide, please take care while listening.

Resources:

• Lifeline Australia
• Beyond Blue
• 13YARN

The brain might be an undiscerning blob that makes up just two per cent of your body, but what it does for you is extraordinary.

How much about the day-to-day workings of the brain do we fully understand, and what does the future of medicine have in store for it?

In this recording of our live show from the World Science Festival Brisbane, we explore the wonder of brain surgery, advances in neurotech, and whether we could one day preserve consciousness and ‘live’ forever.

Keen to listen to another episode? Why not check out Can we trust our memories?

Madi's had 25 rental applications rejected. Seen absolute horror houses while searching for a rental. It's all driving her to despair.

Today, how housing insecurity can alter our sense of agency and how we perceive the world around us.

This episode was first broadcast in May 2024.

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, debunk some myths about focus, and discuss the art of taking a break.

Want to hear more? Check out our episode, When doom scrolling leads to actual harm.

How strong is your memory? 

Whether you're frequently forgetful or eager to improve, there are ways you can train your brain to recall faster and remember better. 

This week, we bring you our live show from Podfest at the Adelaide Festival, featuring neuropsychologists, memory athletes, and even some listeners!

If you'd like to check out another episode, why not listen to Is life coaching legit?

Dementia usually involves a decline in your ability to remember, think and reason over time. And those with dementia are at a high risk of feeling socially isolated, lonely and depressed.

As artificial intelligence systems get better and better, researchers are investigating whether AI companion bots could help improve the lives of those with dementia.

The combination might sound counterintuitive, but researchers reckon these chatbots have some advantages over human companionship.

So, what does a conversation with an AI companion sound like? How might they help? And what do the real people these AI companions are based on think of the experience?

Today, former host of All in the Mind Lynne Malcolm reports on the developing field of AI companions for people with dementia.

If you're looking for something to listen to next, check out our episode with Lynne What's been on Lynne Malcolm's mind (since leaving All in the Mind).

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 deal breaker, and what it says about your own attachment style.

If you want to hear more about dating and psychology, check out our episode The false promise of love languages.

NASA wants to send humans to Mars in the next decade or so. But can our minds handle it?

We talk to a NASA psychologist and retired astronaut about the psychological challenges people already face on long-duration space missions — and find out what it will take to get to Mars.

This episode was first broadcast in March 2024.

Looking for another episode to listen to next? Check out Dark tourism + selfie sticks = moral outrage.