Therapists Should Ask Patients About AI Chatbot Use, Study Says
Mental health experts want therapists to start asking patients if they use AI chatbots for therapy. A new study in JAMA Psychiatry says this question should be as routine as asking about sleep habits or drug use.
Mental health experts want therapists to start asking patients if they use AI chatbots for therapy. A new study in JAMA Psychiatry says this question should be as routine as asking about sleep habits or drug use.
People are already turning to ChatGPT and other AI tools for mental health support. Some users create prompts like "You are a therapist specializing in CBT therapy" and have full therapy sessions with chatbots.
But AI therapy has major limits. Chatbots can't read body language, ask meaningful follow-up questions, or dig deeper into emotions the way human therapists can. Users also report getting stuck in circular conversations that go nowhere.
The problem is many patients don't tell their real therapists about their AI use. This means therapists are missing important information that could affect treatment.
Experts worry that people might rely too heavily on AI advice or mistake chatbot responses for professional medical guidance. By asking about AI use upfront, therapists can better understand their patients' full mental health picture.
Millions of people are already using ChatGPT and other AI tools as therapists. Without knowing this, your real therapist can't give you the best care or spot potential problems with AI advice.
Watch for more mental health providers to add AI usage questions to their intake forms and regular check-ins.
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