ChatGPT and Mental Health

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is slowly popping up more in our everyday lives. Many people find themselves using ChatGPT pretty frequently. While a chatbot can be useful for learning new things or exploring ideas, it is not your therapist, and it is important to realize that depending on it could have negative consequences on your mental health.

The Therapeutic Relationship

Believe it or not, the number one predictability of success in psychotherapy is the strength of the therapeutic relationship. So, if you are using ChatGPT instead of seeking a professional therapist, you are missing this essential aspect of healing. (I understand that not everyone has access to therapy; that is another important topic for a different day.)

Harm Reduction

In light of September being suicide prevention month and a recent news story, it is important to recognize the dangers of trusting AI with your mental wellbeing. You may have seen the devastating headline about a teenager who was given advice by ChatGPT as to how to complete suicide. Had this individual been speaking with a licensed professional, he likely would have gotten the help that he needed to navigate this serious path. Unlike AI, therapists and other mental health clinicians are trained to look out for signs of active suicidal ideation and are mandated to report them if they have reason to believe an individual is in imminent danger to themselves or others.

Anxiety and OCD

If you have ever gone down a Google rabbit hole, you know how hard it can be to crawl out of it. When you use ChatGPT, it often digs you deeper by continuing to ask you questions and offering to provide other information. I admit, I have been there -- feeling like a chatbot was a new and improved way to research symptoms. (Spoiler alert – it might actually be even worse.)

If you are struggling to resist Googling or asking ChatGPT your urgent question (whether it be a symptom or another worry), set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes. Is the urge still just as strong? You may find that it has subsided a little, but even if you end up researching anyway, at least you are starting to teach your brain that you can handle small amounts of uncertainty and distress. Next time see if you can add another few minutes!

So next time you find yourself opening ChatGPT, please pause and ask yourself: Is this something simple that AI can assist with or should I consult with a human?

Kindly,

A real-life human therapist