Anxiety is a natural human response. It’s what we feel when we are worried, tense, or afraid – particularly about the unknown or things that are about to happen. However, for approximately 23% of the UKs population, anxiety involves repeated episodes of intense fear or terror about everyday situations and activities. Professor Oliver Robinson is the co-group leader of the Neuroscience and Mental Health Group at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London. In this month’s episode, Shakira and Iman talk to Oli about anxiety disorders and the difference between anxiety and fear.

Presented by Shakira Crawford & Iman Issa-Ismail.

Guest: Prof Oliver Robinson.

Producer: Shakira Crawford.

Podcast Research: Kyron James.

Project Mentors: Marie Horner & Kaveh Rahnama.

Filmed By: Mike Wornell.

Led By: Dr Rupy Kaur Matharu & Dr Shoba Poduval.

In collaboration with Future Formed and UCL.

Funded by the UCL East Community Engagement Seed Fund 2022/23 and Future Formed.

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people communicate and interact with the world. Though more than 1 in 100 people are on the autism spectrum in the UK, it is often taboo to talk about. This is one of the reasons some people with autism feel it is hard to be themselves and mask their autistic traits to appear more neurotypical to society. Professor Kurinchi Gurusamy is the Head of Research in the Division of Surgery and Interventional Science at University College London. He also lives with autism. In this month’s episode, Shakira and Iman talk to Kurinichi about his personal experiences of living with autism and common misconceptions.

Presented by Shakira Crawford & Iman Issa-Ismail.

Guest: Prof Kurinchi Gurusamy.

Producer: Shakira Crawford.

Podcast Research: Kyron James.

Project Mentors: Marie Horner & Kaveh Rahnama.

Filmed By: Mike Wornell.

Led By: Dr Rupy Kaur Matharu & Dr Shoba Poduval.

In collaboration with Future Formed and UCL.

Funded by the UCL East Community Engagement Seed Fund 2022/23 and Future Formed.

Mental health illnesses that occur during pregnancy or in the first year following the birth of a child, affect 27% of new and expectant mothers in the UK. Common negative stigmatising perceptions are often what prevent people from speaking out and seeking help. Dr Kate Adlington is an Academic Clinical Fellow at Queen Mary University London and a Higher Trainee in General Adult Psychiatry in the East London NHS Foundation Trust. In this month’s episode, Shakira and Iman talk to Kate about perinatal mental health, the pressures of being a new mother (including feeling lonely and the social detriments of pregnancy), the healthcare inequalities faced by black and ethnic minority women, plus more.

Presented by Shakira Crawford & Iman Issa-Ismail.

Guest: Dr Kate Adlington.

Producer: Shakira Crawford.

Podcast Research: Kyron James.

Project Mentors: Marie Horner & Kaveh Rahnama.

Filmed By: Mike Wornell.

Led By: Dr Rupy Kaur Matharu & Dr Shoba Poduval.

In collaboration with Future Formed and UCL.

Funded by the UCL East Community Engagement Seed Fund 2022/23 and Future Formed.