All in the Mind

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, she finds out whether that more personalised approach to understanding depression is now filtering through to the treatments that people are offered.
Hard to treat depression, where the usual approaches like talking therapies and anti-depressants don’t seem to work in the long-term, may happen in 30% of people with depression. Katie tells Claudia how living with depression that's difficult to treat is an ongoing journey and that learning new approaches has helped to recognise it more quickly and be able to lean into opportunities to do more about it.
Studio guest, Barney Dunn, Professor of Clinical Psychology at Exeter University, explains new ways of helping people who may find themselves in a treatment gap. He discusses new research clinics across the country addressing this 'missing middle' that allow people to self-refer.
And Claudia meets Ed Bullmore, author of 'The Inflamed Mind: A radical new approach to depression' who called for a better understanding of the root causes of depression in his book nearly a decade ago. How far does he see that progress has been made?
Plus, Claudia goes to Kings College London to experience a new approach that's being trialled for use in your own home. Transcranial direct current stimulation or TDCS, involves a very small electric current applied to the temples. Research assistant Mia German and Professor Cynthia Fu explain the latest evidence. What does wearing the headset actually feel like?
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Erika Wright
Editor: Ilan Goodman
Studio Manager: Tim Heffer
Production coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

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 research suggests that children and adults use different information to reach a conclusion on how someone is feeling.
And Claudia is joined by Kavita Vedhara, professor of health psychology at Cardiff University. Kavita shares how stress can scramble your internal GPS and how the brain may have evolved from two separate systems.
If you would like to nominate someone for the All in the Mind Awards, then head to bbc.co.uk/allinthemindawards. You’ll find the terms and conditions and the privacy notice on the website, and you must be over 18 to send in a nomination. You have until 1pm on Friday the 8th of January 2027 to enter.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Sophie Ormiston
Editor: Ilan Goodman
Studio Manager: Mary Stone
Production coordinator: Jana Holesworth

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 visits a unique canal boat project supporting people who have experienced psychosis, where she hears stories of recovery, connection and hope.
What difference can early intervention in psychosis make to someone’s recovery?
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Presenter's friend: Dr Bruce Clark
Producer: Gerry Holt
Production coordinator: Jana Holesworth
Sound engineer: Tim Heffer
Details of organisations offering help and support with mental health are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline, or you can call for free, at any time to hear recorded information on 08000 155 998.

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 with Parkinson’s disease? We investigate prompted by one of our listeners, and hear how even just imagining music could have an impact.
And Claudia is joined by Daryl O’Connor, professor of psychology at the University of Leeds, who shares new research on how listening to music calms our brains. Plus, Claudia and Daryl try some slow-paced breathing in the studio to help lower stress levels.
If you would like to nominate someone for the All in the Mind Awards, then head to bbc.co.uk/allinthemindawards. You’ll find the terms and conditions and the privacy notice on the website, and you must be over 18 to send in a nomination. You have until 1pm on Friday the 8th of January 2027 to enter.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Sophie Ormiston & Gerry Holt
Assistant producer: Tabitha Taylor Buck
Editor: Ilan Goodman
Studio Manager: Tim Heffer
Production coordinator: Jana Holesworth

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 like, “I’m traumatised”, “totally triggered” or “I’m so OCD”.
So why does the language we use matter - and why does Tanya feel she's seeing a rise in self-diagnosis?
Catherine Loveday, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Westminster, also joins us in the studio to give her take on the debate.
Plus, we tackle a listener's question about why some sounds can make us feel spine-tinglingly good and why are we ticklish?

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Gerry Holt
Content editor: Ilan Goodman
Production coordinator: Jana Holesworth
Studio engineer: Steve Greenwood
Details of help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline