Pros and Cons of Using AI To Support Mental Wellness

One of the most monumental changes of this decade has been the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) applications for the masses. Although artificial intelligence has been around for more than 70 years, there has been a marked surge in the 2020s of AI-related language becoming part of our lexicon. AI is impacting nearly every industry, even making its mark in the mental health care field.

As therapists in an outpatient psychotherapy setting, my colleagues and I see clients from one or two times a week, typically for one to two hours at a time. Within the past two years, our clients have increasingly been telling us that they are using AI between sessions to talk through emotionally challenging times. This is beneficial for both the client and the therapist. The client feels supported without needing to reach out to their therapist at 2:00 a.m. or sending an email or voicemail for the therapist to receive first thing in the morning.

In the past, that is exactly how clients would handle those difficult moments. And when the therapist would read the email or listen to the voicemail that was sent in the middle of the night, they would reach out to make sure their client was okay. Almost invariably, the client would be feeling better, things would not seem as dark and overwhelming to them, and more importantly, the client would realize they were able to get through those challenging moments on their own.

Learning how to manage our own emotions and not look for validation or reassurance from others (including the Internet), is one of the most important pieces of a healthy, adult mindset. Many people seek therapy thinking their therapist will reassure them that they are “not crazy,” “not overthinking,” “making the right decision,” etc. What clients need, however, is to learn why they are afraid, insecure, or doubtful about their own behavior or beliefs.

Therapy should help clients understand why they are motivated to continue self-defeating behaviors. If they continue to seek reassurance elsewhere anyway, they are sabotaging their work and their healing. This is probably the most important downside to keep in mind about using AI platforms to support mental health.

Dr. Erica Karlinsky is the Founder and Clinical Director of Heathrow Psychology, which has offices in Lake Mary and Longwood. She is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 20 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults.