Episode notes
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 Kathryn Bates explore the science behind rejection sensitivity, its links with ADHD and neurodivergence, and why our brains are wired to see social exclusion as a threat. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just…
Podcast
Figuring It Out
Dr Alex George · Health · English
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 question
More from Figuring It Out All episodes →
-
1 Sep 2026 · 19 min
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 your gut telling you something is wrong. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your…
-
31 Aug 2026 · 16 min
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 your stomach doesn’t necessarily mean someone is untrustworthy. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your…
-
30 Aug 2026 · 23 min
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. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday.…
-
25 Aug 2026 · 15 min
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 sensitive to it, and whether rejection sensitivity is really just another name for worrying. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any…
-
24 Aug 2026 · 18 min
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 reframing situations to self-compassion and acceptance. You can read about tips from a psychologist in this article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/what-the-wild-things-are/202506/the-deep-sting-of-rejection-0 . No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out.…
-
18 Aug 2026 · 19 min
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 cover why hypnosis may be more likely to create false memories than recover repressed ones, and the surprising number of clinicians who believe repressed trauma can be uncovered in therapy. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical…
-
17 Aug 2026 · 17 min
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 to the rare phenomenon that allows some people to recall almost every day of their lives in remarkable detail. Plus, what does it actually mean if you can’t picture things in your mind? And what did the co-founder of Pixar discover when he explored how differently we visualise the world? No lectures.…
-
16 Aug 2026 · 28 min
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 important discoveries in memory research, and the landmark car crash experiment that showed how changing a single word can alter what someone remembers. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends…
-
11 Aug 2026 · 30 min
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 from fact as they explore the neuroscience behind manifestation, the difference between a positive mindset and magical thinking, and what placebo effects really tell us about the power of our beliefs. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to…
-
10 Aug 2026 · 25 min
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 six-year-olds reveals about the surprising power of other people's expectations. Plus, Alex and Kathryn reflect on how they deal with failure, and Kathryn explains why, as a scientist, she fails at something every day. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're…
Take it with you
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
