People Turning To AI For Their Mental Health Instead Of Humans

[RAMROD 117,044]

Men who have long remained silent about their emotions are now confiding in artificial intelligence. What began as a tool for productivity has quietly evolved into something much more personal: a digital confidant for millions navigating the complexities of their mental health.

This unexpected shift reveals a deep-seated human need for connection and understanding, a need that technology is now beginning to meet in unforeseen ways.

A profound relational revolution is underway, not orchestrated by tech developers but driven by users themselves. Many of the 400 million weekly users of ChatGPT are seeking more than just assistance with emails or information on food safety; they are looking for emotional support.

“Therapy and companionship” have emerged as two of the most frequent applications for generative AI globally, according to the Harvard Business Review. This trend marks a significant, unplanned pivot in how people interact with technology.

Mental health professionals are observing this phenomenon firsthand. After four decades in clinical practice, psychotherapists and clinical supervisors are witnessing an unprecedented pattern: clients are now coming to therapy sessions having already begun processing their emotions through conversations with AI.

Men who have historically shied away from discussing their feelings for decades are now participating in deeply personal dialogues with these digital systems. This pre-processing allows them to enter human therapy with a greater degree of self-awareness.

The economic landscape reflects this growing reliance on digital mental health solutions. Investors directed nearly $700 million into AI mental health startups in the first half of 2024 alone, making it the most heavily funded segment in digital healthcare, as reported by Forbes.

This financial confidence stems from the recognition that traditional mental healthcare systems are struggling to keep up with escalating demand. The World Health Organization estimates that mental health conditions result in a global economic loss of over$1 trillion in productivity each year, while CDC data from 2022 indicated that more than one in five U.S. adults under the age of 45 experienced symptoms of mental distress.

https://aiindexes.com/men-mental-health-ai/

 

 

 

Hari is 36, works in software sales and is deeply close to his father. In May 2024, his life began to crumble: his father suffered a mini-stroke, his 14-year relationship flatlined and then he was made redundant. “I felt really unstable,” he says. “I knew I wasn’t giving my dad what he needed. But I didn’t know what to do.” He tried helplines, support groups, the charity Samaritans. “They cared,” he says, “but they didn’t have the depth I needed.” 

Late one night, while searching ChatGPT to interpret his father’s symptoms, he typed a different question: “I feel like I’ve run out of options. Can you help?” That moment opened a door. He poured out his fear, confusion and grief. He asked about emotional dysregulation, a term he’d come across that might explain his partner’s behaviour.

“I didn’t feel like I was burdening anyone,” he said, before adding that the ensuing conversational back and forth he got back was more consistent than helplines, more available than friends, and unlike the people around him, ChatGPT never felt exhausted by his emotional demands.

When I ask how it felt to talk to AI, he pauses. “It was like talking to a dog in a cafe.” He continues: “I knew the AI wouldn’t judge me, get tired of or frustrated with me. It felt sentient – but not human. And somehow that made it easier.”

"I’ve never spoken like this before.” It was one of the most common refrains I heard as clinical director at Untapped AI – a leadership-coaching platform blending human and AI support.

For over 10 years, I have supervised thousands of client relationships using a combination of human support (executive coaches, therapists and counsellors) combined with Natural Language Processing AI. Many of the men we worked with had never spoken at length about their emotional lives, but after four decades in clinical practice – as a psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and clinical adviser – I am noticing that something has shifted lately. In clinical supervision, I’m coming across more evidence that male clients are now turning to AI to talk about relationships, loss, regret and overwhelm, sometimes purposefully but more often by chance.

In 2025, one of the fastest-growing uses of generative AI isn’t productivity. It’s emotional support. According to the Harvard Business Review, “therapy and companionship” now rank among the most common use cases worldwide. It may not be how these tools were designed. But it is how they’re being used. A quiet, relational revolution is underway. 

Today, OpenAI reports more than 400 million weekly users. Many use it to write a zinger email to dispute a parking ticket, check if their chicken’s still safe to eat after the use-by date, or rewrite a dating app message. However, some are asking something else entirely: how to cope.

We don’t yet have precise data – but from what I’ve seen in clinical supervision, research and my own conversations, I believe that ChatGPTis likely now to be the most widely used mental health tool in the world. Not by design, but by demand.

Using AI like this isn’t the same as therapy. But I’m helping those using systems like ChatGPT to inject some grit into the system – the kind that real relationships rely on. The kind that says: I care enough to disagree.

We’ve always formed attachments to things that aren’t quite real – imaginary friends, the lives of influencers, digital avatars, childhood toys worn soft with love. Not out of confusion, but because they offer something that human relationships sometimes can’t: safety, imagination and companionship on our own terms. A container for the things about ourselves we find hard to integrate.

As these synthetic relationships develop, as a psychotherapist, I mainly want people to just be open and curious about something that is having such an impact on all of us. I believe mental health clinicians of all types need to be involved in the building of safe and ethical AI used to support individuals who are vulnerable. If we take an active part in making and shaping it, then we can look to a future where AI is used in a positive way, helping more people navigate emotional distress and personal problems like never before. 
 

Read full article at:

https://www.the-independent.com/tech/chatgpt-ai-therapy-men-psychotherapist-b2777459.html#

[bionic 50,111]

My 14yo nephew underage drank and drunkenly revealed that he roleplays with ChatGPT to practice talking to girls

[FfFfFfFF 58,120]

I mean I kinda do it too and it's pretty comforting. 

[Morphine Prince 109,655]

I can see how it’s ok to use as an immediate resource but I know people who are using it to fully replace their therapist. 

Sad state of the world. 

[Shadow 6,697]

People Are Being Involuntarily Committed, Jailed After Spiraling Into "ChatGPT Psychosis"

https://futurism.com/commitment-jail-chatgpt-psychosis

There's always more to the story...

 

[lasagna 3,399]

someone in my life stopped going to therapy because their therapist told them a hard truth about their situation and have recently started using chatgpt as a therapist and i find it really concerning but ive no idea what (if anything) i can do. maybe i'm old fashioned but im extremely worried and scared about the effect its going to have on this persons already precarious mental state.

its not a real person and it just parrots whatever you want to hear. sure it probably feels good but its objectively not good to just have your (in the person in my lifes case) unhinged ideas validated. sometimes you need to be told no and sometimes you need to hear hard things in order to heal 

edit: of course though if someone can find use in this i think thats fantastic and i hope it continues to work for them. i just worry about the effect it might have longterm 

[RenegAde 20,557]

Well its cheaper than paying a therapist so if you need it as a quick outlet,  use it . Not knocking anyone seeking help for their mental health considering how cold and dismissive we humans can be to eachother. 

However, people need to keep in mind that the shroud of anonymity can be misleading, protect your data. Also becareful of over relying on it, Sometimes it just echoes your delusions.

 

[killme89 1,438]

I used ChatGPT to help me get over a guy , analyzed our text and everything. It really helped me open my eyes

[Horny Chicken 10,932]

I want AI that can cook, clean and take care of elders. 

[whoresup 3,429]

I can understand this because lots of people are afraid opening up to others for fear of being judged or embarrassed. Not only is AI super supportive it’s also fairly well informed lol. 

[RenegAde 20,557]

8 minutes ago, lasagna said:

someone in my life stopped going to therapy because their therapist told them a hard truth about their situation and have recently started using chatgpt as a therapist and i find it really concerning but ive no idea what (if anything) i can do. maybe i'm old fashioned but im extremely worried and scared about the effect its going to have on this persons already precarious mental state.

its not a real person and it just parrots whatever you want to hear. sure it probably feels good but its objectively not good to just have your (in the person in my lifes case) unhinged ideas validated. sometimes you need to be told no and sometimes you need to hear hard things in order to heal 

This sad though. Imagine being able to afford therapy but opting for a bot. However we need to keep in mind that therapists aren't infallible either, sometimes theres a disconnect,  they make mistakes, lack tact or loose patience. I dont want to completely knock your person , j hope they find a therapist that is a right match for them.

 

[lasagna 3,399]

7 minutes ago, RenegAde said:

This sad though. Imagine being able to afford therapy but opting for a bot. However we need to keep in mind that therapists aren't infallible either, sometimes theres a disconnect,  they make mistakes, lack tact or loose patience. I dont want to completely knock your person , j hope they find a therapist that is a right match for them.

no you're absolutely right it's true that therapists can sometimes be quite bad honestly. so many people i know have had horrible therapists or experiences in therapy, and if they find use in chatgpt and it benefits them then that's absolutely fantastic. i just worry about this particular person, i feel like its heading down a road that longterm won't benefit them and it seems to be following a pattern of them cutting off real people from their life which really concerns me

[nATAH 56,982]

are these people aware of AI's confidentiality? if it even has any at all? or do the terms and conditions say this data can be freely used?

because the key thing about an actual therapist is patient confidentiality; the freedom to say anything without it leaving those 4 walls

[RudraCNG 15,506]

I knew this would happen since Chat GPT was launched. A lot of people is going to rely on AI for emotional support.

[TheSine 6,906]

It can be comforting sometimes but ut's not good to depend on it. It'll get scary...