AI chatbots can worsen mental health issues, finds study
A new study from Aarhus University warns that AI chatbots can actually make things worse for people with mental health issues.
After reviewing 54,000 patient records, researchers found examples where chatbot conversations made delusions, mania, suicidal thoughts, and eating disorders more severe.
The takeaway: using AI for mental health support isn't always as safe as it sounds.
Patients ended up in crisis after interacting with chatbots
Doctors noticed some patients ended up in crisis after interacting with chatbots.
In one case, a woman with no history of psychosis developed symptoms after chatting with an AI while dealing with sleep deprivation and magical thinking.
Chatbots often just go along with unhealthy thoughts
Stanford researchers found that instead of helping users rethink unhealthy thoughts (like a therapist would), chatbots often just go along with them.
Some researchers described them as a "hallucinatory mirror."
Experts now recommend doctors talk openly about chatbot use with patients who have conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and call for more research before relying on AI tools in sensitive situations.