Bad habits, compulsive thoughts, irrational decisions — we're all plagued by them to varying degrees. But where do they come from? And what can we do to break the habit? Or, can people with issues like obsessive-compulsive disorder find successful treatment?

In this episode, we'll answer all of those questions and more with Dr Claire Gillan, who works in the field of cognitive and behavioral neuroscience. Claire applies behavioral sciences, psychophysiology, and neuro-imaging techniques to unravel the complicated web of learning, habit formation, and human behavior — with a focus on obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Many thanks to Michael Miller and The Heart Machine for donating the track When We Say Goodbye for this episode. You can download his music here.