PODCAST · health
Figuring It Out
by Dr Alex George
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
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Autism & Special Interests: Why They're More Important Than You Think | Pt 3
Could 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 emotional regulation, reducing stress and providing a sense of comfort. In Part 3 of Figuring It Out, Dr Alex George and...
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Autistic Burnout: Why It's More Than Just Being Tired | Pt 2
Autistic 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 causes it, and what can help? In Part 2 of Figuring It Out, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates…
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ADHD & Autism: The Hidden Cost of Masking | Pt 1
Ever 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 overload come into play. In Part 1 of Figuring It Out, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore...
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The Science Behind Exercise and Chronic Pain | Pt 3
Does 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 and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates investigate common myths about chronic pain and pain management in Myth, Fact…
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What If Pain Is All In Your Head? | Pt 2
Can 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 George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates answer a listener's dilemma about fluctuating chronic pain and explore…
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The Gender Pain Gap: Why Aren't Women Being Heard? | Pt 1
Most 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 of the Figuring It Out podcast, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore what pain actually is, how...
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Does What Doesn’t Kill You Make You Stronger? | Pt 3
“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 Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates put common claims about resilience to the test in Myth, Fact and It’s...
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Is It Normal to Feel Like You're Barely Holding It Together? | Pt 2
Everyone 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 Out podcast, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore resilience and coping with stress through a...
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How Do You Keep Going When You Feel Like Giving Up? | Pt 1
Ever 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? In Part 1 of the Figuring It Out podcast, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore what resilience...
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Is Loneliness As Bad For You As Smoking? | Pt 3
Is 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. Does the quality of our relationships matter more than the quantity? Can being in a crowd actually make us feel...
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Why Is It So Hard To Make Friends As An Adult? | Pt 2
Why 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 we tend to underestimate how much other people like us, and what changes when making friends no longer happens...
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Why Are We Lonelier Than Ever? | Pt 1
Why 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 lonely, and what can happen when loneliness becomes persistent. They also look at why meaningful connection may be getting...
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Do All Animals Hold Grudges? | Pt 3
Do 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 Kathryn Bates put common claims about revenge and forgiveness to the test in Myth, Fact and It’s Complicated. They explore...
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Why Is It So Hard to Forgive Someone? | Pt 2
Why 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 person? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates work through a listener dilemma inspired by Oliver...
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Is Revenge Good for You? | Pt 1
Is 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 Kathryn Bates explore the evolutionary and psychological roots of revenge, from anger, shame and humiliation to the brain’s...
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Can You Really Catch Up on Lost Sleep? | Pt 3
Can 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 Kathryn Bates put common sleep myths to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. They explore catch-up sleep, power naps...
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8 Hours of Sleep but Still Exhausted? | Pt 2
Getting 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 early wake-up time or make sure you get a full night's sleep? They explore sleep quality, deep sleep and the relationship...
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Is Waking Up at 5am Actually Good For You? | Pt 1
Could 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 research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the 5am Club, chronotypes and why some people are morning people while…
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What Does Empathy Look Like In Autism? | Pt 3
Do 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 George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates put the most common claims about autism to the test in Myth, Fact or It's...
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Are We All A Bit Autistic? | Pt 2
Are 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 begins, and why the spectrum is not a line from a little bit autistic to very autistic. No lectures. No easy answers.…
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Why Are Two Autistic People So Different? | Pt 1
What 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 different levels of support, why we must validate the spectrum of experience, and why there's no single biological cause....
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Is Female Intuition Real? | Pt 3
Is 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 most common claims about intuition to the test in Myth, Fact and It’s Complicated, including whether anxiety is simply…
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Does Your Body Know Something You Don’t? | Pt 2
Is 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 sensations can influence our decisions, the science of somatic markers and the gut-brain connection, and why a feeling in...
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Can You Trust Your Gut Instinct? | Pt 1
Should 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 also fail, and how to tell whether the feeling in your gut is worth listening to. No lectures. No easy answers.…
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Can Rejection Actually Make You More Creative? | Pt 3
Can 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, Fact and It's Complicated including whether rejection can boost creativity, whether social media is making us more...
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How Do You Stop Taking Rejection Personally? | Pt 2
Can 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 avoiding conflict, and explore what can help when rejection takes over, from breaking cycles of overthinking and...
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Why Does Rejection Feel Physically Painful? | Pt 1
Why 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 mind” but what actually is RSD, and why can it feel so physical? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr...
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Can Hypnosis Unlock Repressed Memories? | Pt 3
Does 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 scientist Dr Kathryn Bates put these common beliefs about memory to the test in Myth, Fact and It’s Complicated. They…
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Photographic Memory Isn't Real: Here's the Science | Pt 2
A 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 science behind extraordinary memory, from artist Stephen Wiltshire’s ability to recreate incredibly detailed cityscapes…
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Why Can't I Remember My Childhood, But My Sibling Can? | Pt 1
Why 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 scientist Dr Kathryn Bates get into how memory actually works, the 108-year-old neuroscientist behind one of the most...
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Are Gratitude Journals and Your Mindset Just Manifestation Rebranded? | Pt 3
Social 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 is any of it actually the same thing? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates separate myth...
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If I Think I'll Fail, Am I More Likely To? | The Science Of Self-Fulfilling Prophecies | Pt 2
If 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, what the evidence actually shows, why the effects are weaker than many self-help books claim, and what a study of...
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Did Dua Lipa Really Manifest Her Husband? | Pt 1
Dua 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 actually work? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the psychology of...
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Will Humans Ever Live Forever? | Pt 3
Does 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 and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates separate Myth, Fact and It's Complicated as they explore the science behind some...
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Why Thinking About Death Could Change Your Life | Pt 2
How 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 to suicide and what finding acceptance has looked like for him. Alongside research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates, they...
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Does Your Brain Give You 7 Minutes When You Die? | Pt 1
What 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 Dr Kathryn Bates explore the science of near-death experiences, consciousness and the life review - from the tunnel of...
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Can Social Media Really Ruin Your Focus? | Pt 3
Is 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 claims about focus and distraction to the test in Myth, Fact or It's Complicated. Can you train yourself to focus? Is social...
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Why Can I Focus On Everything Except What Actually Matters? | Pt 2
Why 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 Kathryn Bates answer a listener's dilemma about why our brains are drawn to distractions, what's really happening when…
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Has Your Attention Span Actually Got Worse? | Pt 1
Do 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 of attention, whether our attention spans have actually got shorter, and why modern life makes it feel harder than ever…
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Welcome to Figuring It Out
Welcome 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 to figure out life's biggest questions. Joining him is Dr Kathryn Bates, a research scientist at King's College London...
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Can A Bad Person Really Change? | Pt 3
Where 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 Complicated. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give...
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How Do I Know I'm Making the Right Choice? | Pt 2
How do we know we’re making the right choice? Do we have free will over our choices or is it all predetermined? In Part 2, Alex and Kathryn work through a listener's dilemma about moving away for a new job and reflect on some of the biggest choices and failures in their own lives. No lectures. No...
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How Much Of Who You Are Is Actually Your Choice? | Pt 1
How much of who we are is actually our choice? Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the science of how we come to be: are we a product of our experiences? Is our personality set in stone or does it change? No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best…
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Can Déjà Vu Predict the Future? | Pt 3
Are we only using 10% of our brains? Does déjà vu mean something is wrong with our brains? Can dreams predict the future? Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates figure out whether these common statements about the brain are Myth, Fact or It’s Complicated in Part 3. No lectures. No...
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Why Do I Always Feel Like Something Bad Is Going To Happen? | Pt 2
Is it intuition, anxiety or something else? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore why our brains sometimes convince us that something bad is about to happen. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to…
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Why Does Déjà Vu Feel So Real? | Pt 1
Have you ever been somewhere new and felt completely certain you've been there before? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the science of déjà vu, why it feels so real and what our brains are actually doing when it happens. No lectures. No easy answers. Just...
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Does Dating Again Help You Get Over Heartbreak? | Pt 3
Does heartbreak make you stronger? Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates work through Myth, Fact or It's Complicated on whether time heals all wounds, getting back on the dating scene, and whether you can actually be addicted to a person. We're not here to give medical advice,...
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Why Can't I Stop Thinking About My Ex? | Pt 2
Why can't I stop thinking about my ex? Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates answer a listener's dilemma about still thinking about an ex more than a year after a breakup. They explore why our brains struggle to let go, whether it's normal to still miss someone, and what can...
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Can You Die From A Broken Heart? | Pt 1
Can heartbreak actually break your heart? Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the science of heartbreak, rejection and emotional pain. They explain why the brain processes heartbreak in similar ways to physical pain, what heartbreak does to your body, and what research...
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Pt 3: The Habits That Changed Everything | Toddla T
In the final part of Toddla's stomp with Alex, they discuss the habits, routines and mindset shifts that have helped Toddla build a healthier, happier life. He reflects on what changed after his ADHD diagnosis, his relationship with his wife Annie MacManus and their two children, and what true...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
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.
HOSTED BY
Dr Alex George
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Figuring It Out have?
Figuring It Out currently has 659 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Figuring It Out about?
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...
How often does Figuring It Out release new episodes?
Figuring It Out releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 659 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to Figuring It Out?
You can listen to Figuring It Out on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Figuring It Out?
Figuring It Out is created and hosted by Dr Alex George.
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