Podcast Extra: Dr Alex Korb offers more techniques out of depression, anxietyPodcast Extra: Dr Alex Korb offers more techniques out of depression, anxiety
All In The Mind
Can you rewire your brain to recover from depression?
26:41•27 Sept 2020
Dr Alex Korb on Small Brain Hacks to Shift Depression and Anxiety
Episode Overview
- Depression involves miscommunication between thinking, feeling, habit and reward circuits rather than a single faulty brain region.
- Memory and mood are closely linked, making it easier to recall negative experiences when feeling low and harder to access happier times.
- Pain and emotional state feed into each other, often creating a downward spiral of chronic pain, poor sleep and worsening mood.
- Small actions like physical activity, making "good enough" decisions and practising gratitude can gradually change brain activity for the better.
- Relying only on thinking and analysis can keep people stuck; meaningful change often requires taking action even before it fully makes sense.
“Depression is not something you can always think your way out of.”
In this eye-opening chat, you'll hear neuroscientist Dr Alex Korb break down depression and anxiety in plain, relatable language, with host Lynne Malcolm keeping the conversation grounded and practical. The focus is on how small, everyday changes can shift your brain from a "downward spiral" into what Korb calls an "upward spiral".
Rather than treating depression as one single thing, Korb explains that it shows up differently for different people – from overeating to loss of appetite, endless sleep to full-blown insomnia. He describes depression not as one faulty brain region, but as a problem with how thinking, feeling, habit and reward circuits talk to each other and get stuck in unhelpful patterns.
You’ll hear clear explanations of why memories feel skewed when you’re low, why pain and mood are tightly linked, and how the brain’s "negative bias" can make normal life feel constantly disappointing. Korb uses everyday examples, like getting stuck in Los Angeles traffic, to show how our expectations can quietly ramp up frustration and emotional suffering.
The episode is aimed at anyone interested in practical strategies for depression and anxiety, including people who tend to overthink, analyse everything, or wait until they "fully understand" something before taking action. Korb emphasises that knowledge is helpful, but change only happens when you do things: move your body, make decisions, and deliberately shift your attention. He highlights physical activity, gratitude, social support, better sleep habits and tuning into the body as concrete tools backed by neuroscience.
As he puts it, "Depression is not something you can always think your way out of" – sometimes you just have to act, even if it doesn’t feel logical yet. If you’re curious how small, science-backed tweaks might gently lift your mood over time, this conversation offers a lot to chew on. What’s one tiny change you could try today?
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