The mind unravelling episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 11, 2019 · 42 MIN

The mind unravelling

from Start the Week · host BBC Radio 4

How far does evolution explain mental health? The psychiatrist Randolph Nesse tells Kirsty Wark that negative emotions make sense in certain situations but can become excessive. He argues that positioning disorders in light of natural selection helps explain the ubiquity of human suffering - and may help in finding new paths for relieving it.The neuropsychologist AK Benjamin investigates the boundaries of sanity and madness in his book, Let Me Not Be Mad. Through a series of consultations with patients, he explores the mind unravelling at the seams. But the question remains whether this unravelling mind belongs to the doctor or the patient.The poet George Szirtes looks at the damaging impact of international events on a single family, in his memoir of his mother Magda. The Photographer At Sixteen follows Magda from her teenage life in Hungary, through political uprisings, internment in two concentration camps and transition to life in England. He explores the effect of an unravelling world on a family's mental health.Producer: Katy Hickman

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 11, 2019

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

The mind unravelling

0:00 42:01

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Start the Week?

This episode is 42 minutes long.

When was this Start the Week episode published?

This episode was published on February 11, 2019.

Can I download this Start the Week episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!