All in the Mind

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

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

This week we’re talking about interoception. That's the way the brain interprets the many signals that come from the body. How useful is this skill, can you perfect it – and when might it have a more negative effect? In the studio with Claudia is health psychologist Professor Kavita Vedhara who explains why watching 15 minutes of the Two Ronnies, some Fawlty Towers and a bit of Elvis Presley, could boost how well your vaccine works. And Claudia meets a group from Essex who are finalists in this year’s All in the Mind awards. The group teaches women who are experiencing anxiety, depression or abusive relationships how to ride a bike. We’ll hear how this simple community initiative is connecting people and even transforming lives, and why they just can’t stop smiling. The awards take 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. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Gerry Holt, Hannah Fisher and Helena Selby Studio Manager: Jackie Margerum Production Coordintator: Siobhan Maguire Content Editor: Glyn Tansley

Are you ok? It’s a question that might be at the front of your mind during a traumatic event. But how helpful is it and can it even make matters worse? We answer a very intriguing listener question. And in the studio with Claudia is Catherine Loveday, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, who’s excited about a study that has uncovered a fascinating way of measuring just how precise our memory is. Clue: It’s all about the eyes. We also reveal the latest finalist in the All in the Mind awards. This week it's Dr Rajeev Kumar who was nominated by Holly Batyka-Berry for his support through Holly's experiences of severe postnatal depression. The awards take 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’d like information on sources of support for post-natal depression do go to bbc.co.uk/actionline Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Gerry Holt and Hannah Fisher Studio Manager: Bob Nettles Production Coordintator: Siobhan Maguire Content Editor: Glyn Tansley

You’ve probably heard the term ADHD – or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – more and more in recent years. Almost 200,000 of you are waiting for a diagnosis and services are struggling to keep up with the demand. Last year twenty four different services told BBC Verify that it would take them eight years to get to everyone on their waiting lists. Now the NHS in England is setting up a taskforce to look at ADHD diagnoses. In this special programme on Adult ADHD, Claudia Hammond and guests ask how did we get to this point, and what can be done to shorten the waiting lists and to make sure people get a timely diagnosis if they need one? Claudia's guests are: Robin Ince - stand-up comedian and science presenter who recently received his own diagnosis of ADHD as an adult; Dr Jessica Eccles - a psychiatrist who does assessments for ADHD and has ADHD herself; and Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan - a neurologist who says we should be more careful about who receives a diagnosis. Producer: Lorna Stewart