AI Can it be Beneficial?
Working With or Against AI (the world of chatbots)
As the mental health crisis strains traditional healthcare, AI chatbots are increasingly acting as a digital first step for therapy. By offering immediate, low-cost, and stigma-free interactions, these conversational agents are serving as stepping stones that often encourage users to seek formal counseling.
Bridging the Accessibility Gap
For many, the barrier to human therapy is cost or availability. AI chatbots offer 24/7, on-demand psychoeducation and mood tracking. This ready availability appeals greatly to younger demographics and those who may feel intimidated by opening up to a stranger. Instead of replacing clinical professionals, these chatbots function as "para-therapy" or emotional sanctuaries, providing users with the coping mechanisms that make them realize the value of prioritizing their mental well-being.
Preparing for Professional Help
Rather than acting as standalone therapists, chatbots are changing the way people seek counseling by priming them for the experience. Many individuals use AI as a digital journal to organize their thoughts, articulate their symptoms, or practice difficult conversations before their appointments. This pre-session preparation helps users walk into a therapist’s office with a clearer understanding of what they need to work on.
The Risks and the Future
Despite this positive funnel effect, experts caution that AI lacks genuine empathy, human presence, and the ability to diagnose or manage acute crises. There is also a risk that some individuals might become overly reliant on a machine, potentially delaying necessary care. However, when used as an adjunct tool, AI successfully demystifies the therapeutic process. Moving forward, the integration of AI could help manage waitlists and triage new patients, actively guiding those who need it most toward qualified professionals.
It is a concern that AI chatbots are widely used by adolescents and young adults for emotional and psychological support, underscoring the urgent need for parents, clinicians, and policymakers to understand their evolving role in youth mental health care. The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence chatbots has coincided with a persistent youth mental health crisis in the US, raising a question about the extent to which young people are turning to this technology for mental health advice.
A recent study by JAMA Pediatrics showed that use of AI chatbots for mental health advice among adolescents and young adults is not a marginal phenomenon: 19.2% of respondents reported using AI chatbots for this purpose, a percentage similar in magnitude to the 19.8% receiving counseling from a mental health professional. These measures are not equivalent; counseling reflects formal clinical care, whereas our survey captures a broader range of engagements for mental health advice. Even so, the prevalence of chatbot use raises important questions about the role that AI may be playing in young people’s emotional lives.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2849307
