‘Sliding into an abyss’: experts warn over rising use of AI for mental health support

Therapists say they are seeing negative impacts of people increasingly turning to AI chatbots for help

Vulnerable people turning to AI chatbots instead of professional therapists for mental health support could be sliding into a dangerous abyss", psychotherapists have warned.

Psychotherapists and psychiatristssaid they were increasingly seeing negative impacts of AI chatbots being used for mental health, such as fostering emotional dependence, exacerbating anxiety symptoms, self-diagnosis, or amplifying delusional thought patterns, dark thoughts and suicide ideation.