Figuring It Out
by Dr Alex George
Latest episode
OCD Myths: What Are We Getting Wrong? | Pt 3
OCD Myths: What Are We Getting Wrong? | Pt 3
About this podcast
Having amassed millions of downloads with his hugely successful Stompcast podcast, Dr Alex George is putting down his stomping boots to try and answer life’s big questions. But he’s not alone. Dr Alex is joined by research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates. Combining their two worlds to answer the questions we all carry around with us, about our minds, our relationships, our choices and our health. We Google them at 2AM, we talk about them with friends and we wonder if we’re the only ones. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It’s Complicated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 671 episodes
- OCD Myths: What Are We Getting Wrong? | Pt 3 · 17 minIs OCD really an anxiety disorder? Are everyday rituals the same as compulsions? And what happens when treatment doesn't work? In Part 3 of Figuring It Out, Dr Alex George and…
- Autism & OCD: Why Are They So Closely Linked? | Pt 2 · 25 minHow are autism and OCD connected? And why can it be so difficult to tell the difference between the two? In Part 2 of Figuring It Out, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr…
- OCD: Why It's So Much More Than Being Tidy | Pt 1 · 28 minAre we all really 'a bit OCD'? Or is obsessive-compulsive disorder something far more complex than the way we often talk about it? In Part 1 of Figuring It Out, Dr Alex George…
- ADHD: Can You Trust What You See on Social Media? | Pt 3 · 26 minHow much of what we see about ADHD on social media is actually true? And are some of the most common beliefs about ADHD backed by science? In Part 3 of Figuring It Out, Dr Alex…
- ADHD & Alcohol: What's the Connection? | Pt 2 · 24 minIs ADHD linked to drinking too much? And why might people with ADHD be more likely to experience difficulties with alcohol and other substances? In Part 2 of Figuring It Out, Dr…
- ADHD & Impulsivity: Why Do I Act Before I Think? | Pt 1 · 35 minWhy do people with ADHD sometimes act before they think? And why can waiting for something feel so difficult? In Part 1 of Figuring It Out, Dr Alex George and research scientist…
- ADHD & Autism: Are We Really Overdiagnosing? | Pt 3 · 20 minAre we really overdiagnosing ADHD and autism? And does understanding someone's differences automatically make relationships easier? In Part 3 of Figuring It Out, Dr Alex George…
- ADHD & Autism: Why Emotional Pain Can Hit Harder and Last Longer | Pt 2 · 24 minWhy can an upsetting interaction stay with you for days, or even weeks? And why can emotional pain feel so difficult to move on from? In Part 2 of Figuring It Out, Dr Alex George…
- Late Autism & ADHD Diagnosis: Why It Changes How You See Yourself | Pt 1 · 26 minHave you ever felt different without really understanding why? And what happens when an autism or ADHD diagnosis changes the way you've always seen yourself? In Part 1 of…
- Autism & Special Interests: Why They're More Important Than You Think | Pt 3 · 22 minCould your special interests be doing more for your wellbeing than you realise? For autistic people, these interests can be much more than hobbies, potentially helping with…
- Autistic Burnout: Why It's More Than Just Being Tired | Pt 2 · 25 minAutistic burnout is more than just feeling tired. It can involve overwhelming exhaustion, difficulty managing everyday tasks and a reduced tolerance to sensory input. But what…
- ADHD & Autism: The Hidden Cost of Masking | Pt 1 · 34 minEver come home from a social event feeling completely drained? For many autistic people and people with ADHD, socialising can be exhausting, particularly when masking and sensory…
- The Science Behind Exercise and Chronic Pain | Pt 3 · 15 minDoes exercise help chronic pain, or could it make things worse? And what does the science actually say about treating chronic pain? In Part 3 of Figuring It Out, Dr Alex George…
- What If Pain Is All In Your Head? | Pt 2 · 22 minCan your mind change how much pain you feel? And why does chronic pain sometimes come and go, even when nothing else seems to have changed? In Part 2 of Figuring It Out, Dr Alex…
- The Gender Pain Gap: Why Aren't Women Being Heard? | Pt 1 · 27 minMost of us think pain is simple: you get hurt, a signal travels to your brain, and it hurts. But what happens when there’s no injury to see, and no one believes you? In Part 1…
- Does What Doesn’t Kill You Make You Stronger? | Pt 3 · 14 min“Never give up” sounds like good advice. But is pushing through always helpful, or can being resilient mean knowing when to stop? In Part 3 of the Figuring It Out podcast, Dr…
- Is It Normal to Feel Like You're Barely Holding It Together? | Pt 2 · 18 minEveryone tells you how strong you are. But inside, you feel like you’re barely holding it together. Does that mean you’re not actually resilient? In Part 2 of the Figuring It…
- How Do You Keep Going When You Feel Like Giving Up? | Pt 1 · 30 minEver looked at someone going through a difficult time and wondered how they’re coping so well? What makes us more resilient, and how much of it comes from things we don’t see?…
- Is Loneliness As Bad For You As Smoking? | Pt 3 · 15 minIs loneliness really as bad for you as smoking? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates put some of the most common claims about loneliness to the test…
- Why Is It So Hard To Make Friends As An Adult? | Pt 2 · 18 minWhy is it so hard to make friends as an adult? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore how long it really takes to form a close friendship, why…
- Why Are We Lonelier Than Ever? | Pt 1 · 32 minWhy are we lonelier than ever? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore what loneliness actually is, why being alone isn’t the same as being…
- Do All Animals Hold Grudges? | Pt 3 · 13 minDo animals hold grudges? Can crows really remember someone who wronged them for 17 years? And does time heal all wounds? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr…
- Why Is It So Hard to Forgive Someone? | Pt 2 · 14 minWhy is it so hard to forgive someone, especially when you believe they meant to hurt you? Why can we accept damage caused by a storm more easily than harm caused by another…
- Is Revenge Good for You? | Pt 1 · 25 minIs revenge ever good for you? Why does the idea of getting even feel so satisfying, and what happens after we act on it? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr…
- Can You Really Catch Up on Lost Sleep? | Pt 3 · 24 minCan a weekend lie-in really help you catch up on lost sleep, or is repaying your sleep debt more complicated than that? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr…
- 8 Hours of Sleep but Still Exhausted? | Pt 2 · 16 minGetting 8 hours of sleep but still waking up exhausted? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates tackle a listener's dilemma: should you stick to an…
- Is Waking Up at 5am Actually Good For You? | Pt 1 · 23 minCould your 5am morning routine be working against your body clock? And if you struggle to wake up early, does that really mean you lack discipline? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and…
- What Does Empathy Look Like In Autism? | Pt 3 · 17 minDo autistic girls present differently to autistic boys? Is it true that autistic people lack empathy? And where does sensory overload actually come from? In Part 3, Dr Alex…
- Are We All A Bit Autistic? | Pt 2 · 17 minAre we all a bit autistic? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates work through a listener's dilemma about where differences in traits ends and autism…
- Why Are Two Autistic People So Different? | Pt 1 · 35 minWhat does it mean to be autistic? In Part 1, Dr Alex George shares his own experience of understanding autism, alongside research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates as they discuss…
- Is Female Intuition Real? | Pt 3 · 19 minIs female intuition actually real? And does sleeping on a decision genuinely make it better? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates put some of the…
- Does Your Body Know Something You Don’t? | Pt 2 · 16 minIs gut instinct just your body noticing something before your conscious mind catches up? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore how physical…
- Can You Trust Your Gut Instinct? | Pt 1 · 23 minShould you always trust your gut instinct? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the neuroscience of intuition, why it can be accurate, why it…
- Can Rejection Actually Make You More Creative? | Pt 3 · 15 minCan rejection actually make you more creative? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates put some surprising claims about rejection to the test in Myth…
- How Do You Stop Taking Rejection Personally? | Pt 2 · 18 minCan you actually become less sensitive to rejection? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates tackle a listener’s dilemma about internalising failure and…
- Why Does Rejection Feel Physically Painful? | Pt 1 · 27 minWhy does rejection hurt so much, and why do some people feel it far more intensely than others? Paris Hilton has described Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria as “like a demon in your…
- Can Hypnosis Unlock Repressed Memories? | Pt 3 · 19 minDoes stress help you remember things better? Does alcohol erase your memories? And can hypnosis actually unlock memories you’ve buried? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research…
- Photographic Memory Isn't Real: Here's the Science | Pt 2 · 17 minA listener asks: do some people really have a photographic memory, or is something else going on? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the…
- Why Can't I Remember My Childhood, But My Sibling Can? | Pt 1 · 28 minWhy do some people have vivid memories from early childhood while others have almost none, and does that mean they have a better memory? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research…
- Are Gratitude Journals and Your Mindset Just Manifestation Rebranded? | Pt 3 · 30 minSocial media claims your brain is wired to help you manifest. Gratitude journals and positive mindsets are often presented as the science-backed alternative to vision boards, but…
- If I Think I'll Fail, Am I More Likely To? | The Science Of Self-Fulfilling Prophecies | Pt 2 · 25 minIf you think you're going to fail, are you more likely to? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the science of self-fulfilling prophecies…
- Did Dua Lipa Really Manifest Her Husband? | Pt 1 · 23 minDua Lipa says headlining Glastonbury was on her dream board and even believes she manifested her husband. Millions of videos on TikTok are about manifestation, but does any of it…
- Will Humans Ever Live Forever? | Pt 3 · 24 minDoes your life really flash before your eyes when you die? Are humans the only species that know they're going to die? And could we ever live forever? In Part 3, Dr Alex George…
- Why Thinking About Death Could Change Your Life | Pt 2 · 28 minHow do you find acceptance in grief and come to terms with the idea of your own death? Will we be able to live forever? In Part 2, Dr Alex George reflects on losing his brother…
- Does Your Brain Give You 7 Minutes When You Die? | Pt 1 · 29 minWhat happens in the brain when you die? Does your life really flash before your eyes? Do we get to relive our best experiences? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research scientist…
- Can Social Media Really Ruin Your Focus? | Pt 3 · 30 minIs social media really ruining our attention spans? In Part 3 of the Figuring It Out podcast, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates put some of the biggest…
- Why Can I Focus On Everything Except What Actually Matters? | Pt 2 · 23 minWhy is it so much easier to focus on random things or a new hobby than an important deadline? In Part 2 of the Figuring It Out podcast, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr…
- Has Your Attention Span Actually Got Worse? | Pt 1 · 26 minDo you feel like you can't concentrate the way you used to? In Part 1 of the Figuring It Out podcast, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the science…
- Welcome to Figuring It Out · 1 minWelcome to the Figuring It Out podcast with Dr Alex George and Dr Kathryn Bates. After four incredible years of The Stompcast, Dr Alex George is putting down his stomping boots…
- Can A Bad Person Really Change? | Pt 3 · 20 minWhere there's a will, there's a way. Therapy can change your personality. Dr Alex George and Dr Kathryn Bates put these common claims to the test in Part 3 of Myth, Fact or It's…
