All In The Mind

Whether it's stamps, figurines, antiques or toys, plenty of people love collecting. But why?

What are the psychological drivers behind the hobby? How much is marketing influencing us, and is there a risk of collecting turning into hoarding?

If you enjoy the show or if you have feedback you'd like to share, please check out our survey here.

Guests:

Sam ToddContent creator and collector

Professor Nick NeaveDirector of the Hoarding Research GroupDepartment of Psychology, Northumbria University

Associate Professor Louise GrimmerTasmanian School of Business and EconomicsUniversity of Tasmania

Credits:

• Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
• Reporter/producer: Rose Kerr
• Senior producer: James Bullen
• Sound engineer: Micky Grossman

More info:

Over years of clinical practice, 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 sacrificing their mental health.

If you loved this episode, you should listen to our story on controlling the chatter in your head.

And if you haven't already, please take a moment to fill out our listener survey! It's only seven questions and we'd love to hear your thoughts on the show.

Guests:

Dr Mary AndersonPsychologist; Author, The Happy High Achiever

Extra Information:

If you're watching sport or browsing social media, odds are you will come across gambling ads. If you work in an office, you might've joined Melbourne Cup or footy tipping comps.

In Australia, it can feel like gambling is everywhere.

Today, we look at how everything from video games to shopping sites seem to be priming us for betting-like behaviours, and how the ubiquity of gambling ads is influencing young people in particular.

And if you haven't already, please take a moment to fill out our listener survey! It's only 7 questions and we'd love to hear your thoughts on the show.

Guests:

Dr Hannah PittVicHealth Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute for Health Transformation Deakin University

Dr Anastasia HronisClinical psychologistLecturer, University of Technology Sydney

Nic BloomMental health first aid trainerWellbeing facilitator and speaker

Credits:

• Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
• Senior producer: James Bullen
• Producer: Rose Kerr
• Sound engineer: Ann-Marie de Bettencor

Resources:

• Gambling Help Online or over the phone 1800 858 858
• Lifeline resources

Extra information:

• Meta-analysis of the relationship between problem gambling, excessive gaming and loot box spending
• Young people's recall and perceptions of gambling advertising and intentions to gamble on sport
• "It's just everywhere!" Children and parents discuss the marketing of sports wagering in Australia
• Gambling activity among Australian teenagers

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

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

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

And you can always reach us at [email protected]

On behalf of the team, thank you!

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.

Guest:

Daniel OberhausScience writerAuthor, The Silicon Shrink: How Artificial Intelligence Made the World an Asylum

Credits:

• Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
• Senior producer: James Bullen
• Producer: Rose Kerr
• Sound engineer: Isabella Tropiano

Extra info:

• Meta preys on insecure teens, whistleblower says - The Australian
• Meta whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams says company targeted ads at teens based on their ‘emotional state’ - Yahoo Finance
• Comments on Research and Ad Targeting - Meta

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.

Guests:

Dr Emma Fitzgerald Clinical Neuropsychologist

SebEmma's son and distracted teenager

Gloria Mark, PhDChancellor's Professor Emerita, University of California, IrvineAuthor, Attention Span

Credits:

• Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
• Senior producer: James Bullen
• Producer: Rose Kerr
• Sound engineer: Bella Tropiano

Extra info:

Gloria's The Future of Attention substack

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?