Depersonalization, a dissociative psychological syndrome, can be incredibly destabilising. It often takes years for sufferers to identify it.

Characterised by altered self-perception, individuals may feel dead, detached, or anaesthetised. They might not recognize themselves in the mirror and struggle to distinguish between reality and a dream. According to Stanford University School of Medicine, this rare phenomenon affects only 2% of the global population. This unsettling experience leads to significant anguish, anxiety, and existential questions.

How does depersonalization affect daily life? Is it troubling? Is stress or anxiety the main cause of depersonalization? What should you do if you experience these symptoms? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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What happens in the brain when we lie?

Why do we get brain freeze?

How can I influence my dreams?

A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue.

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In our increasingly urbanised world, it’s important to make time for reconnecting with nature. The latest study to grab our attention in this area was conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health and published in December 2022. It looked into the so-called 3-30-300 rule, which was theorised by Spanish forest researcher Cecil Konijnendijk in 2021. 

It's made up of three criteria, which each give our mental health a boost: we should have three trees in view from our home, live in a neighbourhood with 30% tree canopy cover and live within 300 metres of a park. Researchers interviewed over 3,000 residents in Barcelona and found that less than 5% of them were lucky enough to live in an area which met all three of the 3-30-300 rule’s criteria. Indeed, 22.4% of respondents had none of the elements.

Interesting, so what did we learn from the latest study? What is it about green spaces that makes us calmer? What are the best ways to apply the 3-30-300 rule? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions !

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How can I return unwanted gifts?

Could the deep work technique help me concentrate better at work?

What can I do to relieve heartburn?

A Bababam Originals podcast, written and produced by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 28/12/2022

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The musical film The Little Mermaid was released in cinemas on 24 May 2023. This movie highlights the importance of representations in the media. This effect has a name: the Scully Effect.

The combination made for an unprecedented representation of women on TV at the time, with audiences far more accustomed to seeing scientists played by white men. The fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are grouped together under the name of STEM professions. And Dana Scully was one of the first female characters in such a field to feature on prime-time TV, which would inspire a generation of young women to start careers in STEM professions. The phenomenon has become referred to as the Scully Effect.

Is there any data to back it up? Why did Scully become such an inspirational figure? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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What is the best time of day to take a shower?

How can I recognise ultra-processed foods?

How does the 3-30-300 rule affect my mental health?

A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 7/10/2022

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I don’t know about your love life, but let’s be honest; for most people having sex doesn’t work out as smoothly as what you see in the movies. Not only is the act itself idealised, but so is what comes after. On screen, you tend to see couples snuggling and drifting off in each other's arms, all cosy and serene. 

But what movies tend to skip over is the part where you have to slip out of bed with your legs pressed together, and waddle like a penguin to the bathroom to pee and wash up. OK, it might feel like a bit of a mood killer, but it’s actually very important for staying healthy.

How does peeing stop bacteria from reaching the bladder? Do I really have to forget about post-sex cuddling? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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Why do some people get a headache during sex?

Is sex without feelings ever a good idea?

Could using lube help you get more pleasure from sex?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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What are the warning signs of a toxic friendship?

Today is World Friendship Day, a chance to reflect on how important friends are in our lives. Generally speaking, having friends is a positive thing which brings us moments of fun and joy. But toxic friendships can exist too and in such cases, the relationship can be more of a burden than anything else, for one of the people involved at least! Let’s talk about some of the red flags that can help you identify them.

First things first, why is it called a toxic friendship? What are the most common toxic friend behaviours? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions !

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Do I have generalised anxiety disorder?

Why do friend breakups hurt so much?

Who are the RMT, the organisation creating massive travel disruption across the UK?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 30/7/2022

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Today we're going to talk about a cognitive bias that causes people to believe, often mistakenly, that they are less likely to experience negative events and more likely to experience positive events than others. Estimates suggest that 80% of us display what’s known as the optimism bias.

For example, we might think that we are less likely to get sick, lose our job, or have a car accident than the average person. We might also think that we are more likely to live longer, be successful, or win the lottery than others.

Why do we have such a bias? And how does it affect our decisions and actions? What are the drawbacks of optimism bias? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions !

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Is it bad to hold in your pee?

Why does looking at the sun make me sneeze?

What is “Act your Wage”, Gen Z’s latest work-life trend?

A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast : 7/6/2023

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Think of Katy Perry in her video for This Is How We Do, Madonna in a traditional Berber outfit at the 2018 VMA awards, or Adele with her hair in Bantu knots to mark Notting Hill Carnival, this is cultural appropriation.

It’s a practice which has caused regular controversy in the world of pop culture. Most often, white artists are accused of using ideas, symbols or other items which come from non-Western minority cultures. The definition of cultural appropriation itself is somewhat controversial, with many saying it is often misapplied by the general public. Its meaning has evolved over time to have negative connotations.

t’s problematic when someone belonging to a dominant community uses cultural elements from an oppressed people, for their own artistic or commercial benefit. In 1976, art historian Kenneth Coutts-Smith wrote one of the first essays to discuss cultural appropriation. He didn’t actually use the term itself, but brought together the ideas of class appropriation and cultural colonialism.

What is cultural appropriation? What’s wrong with mixing cultures? So what could they do differently? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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Why do we blow out candles on birthdays?

What is the ‘Yes Man’ Technique?

Which five foods slow ageing?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

Forst broadcast: 21/11/2020.

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Whether it’s as kids in the school playground, fooling around with our first partner as a teenager or with our own kids when we become parents, tickling is generally synonymous with moments of playful fun.

Of course tickling can bring on strong reactions and some people hate it, so it’s important to only do it to someone if they’re not objecting, no matter how harmless it might seem to you. Some people are just way more sensitive to it than others, and might start laughing or cringing at the slightest touch, or even in anticipation of being tickled.

Why are some parts of our bodies more sensitive to tickling than others? Why can’t I tickle myself? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

Can deep sleep help stop dementia?

What is conscious quitting?

Why is Israel going through a major political crisis?

A Bababam Originals podcast. A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 10/4/2023

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Do you ever feel like you’re always in a rush, constantly getting things done at the latest possible time? It could be paying a bill, cleaning our home or even recording a podcast! Well you’re certainly not alone in that respect. According to Deacon Joseph Ferrari, who specialises in the area, 20% of us are chronic procrastinators.

And a 2020 survey by Micro Biz Mag found that just 15.6% of people say they never procrastinate. So it’s something that affects almost all of us from time to time. And of course it can be a cause of stress and anxiety when we actually get around to doing whatever it is we’ve been putting off. So let’s discuss some ways of beating that pesky habit! 

Why do we procrastinate anyway? If we’re hardwired like that, does it mean that it's impossible to stop procrastinating? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions !

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here :

Can deep sleep help stop dementia?

What is conscious quitting?

Why is Israel going through a major political crisis?

A Bababam Originals podcast.A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 8/4/2023

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In late October 2024, thousands of musicians, actors and authors signed a protest letter against their work being used to build artificial intelligence tools. Signatories included actress Julianne Moore, Björn Ulvaeus of Abba, actor Kevin Bacon, and Radiohead. 

Their main gripe is that their work is being used to train algorithms that could ultimately jeopardise their very careers. And even worse, when their creations are used to improve AI, they don’t receive any compensation, which the artists see as a copyright violation.

Aren’t artists supposed to be safe from AI? What other professions are protected from AI because of human emotions? What about healthcare? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

Which jobs are most under threat from artificial intelligence?

How to interact with ChatGPT?

What is “Act your Wage”, Gen Z’s latest work-life trend?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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