All In The Mind

Why do people lie? Why do relationships fall apart? Can trauma change your brain?

Every week on All in the Mind, award-winning journalist Sana Qadar explores the psychology behind the biggest questions in our lives — how we think, feel and behave.

Featuring leading experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross, you’ll hear personal stories and practical insights that will leave you thinking long after the podcast ends.

Whether it’s debunking pop psychology trends or translating the latest neuroscience research, more than 100,000 listeners join Sana each month to learn the best strategies for surviving life with your mental health intact.

All in the Mind is created for ABC’s Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and was awarded Best Health and Wellness podcast at the 2026 Australian Audio Awards

Latest Episodes:

Hacking humans: social engineering and the power of influence Aug 01, 2021

Show notes

Chris Hadnagy’s job involves breaking into banks. But he’s not after money, gold or jewels. He’s searching for weaknesses – in systems, in security, and in people.

And he doesn’t use weapons or threats of violence to get past guards and into vaults. He uses a smile - and a few tricks from his toolbox of psychology and social engineering techniques.

Chris is the founder and CEO of Social Engineer LLC and lectures about social engineering around the globe.

On All in the Mind this week, the psychology of influence and what makes some people more vulnerable to being ‘hacked’ than others.

Delirium in the ICU Jul 25, 2021

Show notes

It’s a condition which affects some patients who end up in intensive care … and can continue after they’re released from hospital.

People often experience paranoia and fear, sometimes believing doctors are trying to kill them or that ghostly figures have visited during the night.

Disrupted sleep, bright lights, the endless beeping of alarms — all are thought to play a role in bringing on the condition.

On All in the Mind this week, delirium in the ICU – and how our hospital system might be redesigned to reduce it.

Why being a beginner is good for you Jul 18, 2021

Show notes

Tom Vanderbilt didn’t know how to play chess.

That fact had never bothered him – until his four-year-old daughter decided she wanted to have a go.

Within a couple of months, they’d recruited a teacher and both Tom and his daughter combo were battling it out over 64 squares.

Tom found the experience of being an adult beginner so challenging and interesting he thought he'd give it a proper go - with a range of different skills and hobbies.

Over the next year he embarked on learning multiple new skills, from surfing to singing.

On All in the Mind this week, we hear what Tom learnt from his journey, the benefits of lifelong learning, and how kids and adults learn differently.

On becoming a mother in a pandemic Jul 11, 2021

Show notes

More than a year after the novel coronavirus pushed much of the world into lockdown, a generation of new mothers are still coming to terms with having been pregnant - and giving birth - in a pandemic.

And if you consider the uncertainty of the past year, the stress, the isolation - there are lots of reasons to be concerned about the impact that might have had on new mums, as well as their babies.

On All in the Mind this week, we delve into new research on the impact of the pandemic on new mothers, and hear from mums about the trials, and occasional triumphs, of life in a lockdown limbo.

Antidepressants and young people Jul 04, 2021

Show notes

From 2008 to 2018, the prescription of antidepressants in young people grew by 66 per cent. There’s data to suggest that last year, among the lockdowns and anxiety of the pandemic, that figure ticked even higher.

In last week’s episode we looked at how the mental health of teenagers fared through the first year of the coronavirus pandemic. This week, another big issue among teenagers and young people - antidepressant medications.

We hear from young people themselves about their mental health journeys, what it’s like to be on anti-depressants and their hopes for the future. And we cover the findings from a major review into antidepressant use in young people.

Are the teens alright? Jun 27, 2021

Show notes

Your teenage years can be tumultuous, but did you know that half of all mental conditions in adulthood emerge by the age of 14?

And on top of regular stressors like school and relationships, teens today have social media to contend with – and a little something called the global coronavirus pandemic.

On All in the Mind this week, we speak to experts – and teens – about how young people fared last year.

When your eyeballs become audible Jun 20, 2021

Show notes

There's a condition so bizarre and rare that most doctors haven't even heard of it.

It causes people to hear their own blood moving, bones creaking, lungs breathing - even eyeballs moving.

Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome can have a profound impact on a person's life and mental health... so can it be fixed?

We go into a hospital operating room to learn about this little-known condition.

Warning: this episode contains a description of a surgical operation.

This episode first aired on 29 March 2020.

Does self-help ... help? The problem with pop psychology Jun 13, 2021

Show notes

Have you ever tried a self-help book? Did it… well, help?

On All in the Mind this week, why self-help sometimes falls short ... and the problem with pop psychology more generally.

The guru playbook Jun 06, 2021

Show notes

On All in the Mind this week, the guru playbook and why we should get smart to their tactics.

The making of a magnificent memory May 30, 2021

Show notes

Anastasia Woolmer explains the techniques memory athletes use to recall names, facts and figures, and how you can apply them to everyday life.

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