Mental health chatbots

 https://theconversationglobal.cmail20.com/t/r-e-thuuilld-nutuuuksl-r/

It’s possible that I’m one of the last people on the planet to discover the uncanny human-like qualities of ChatGPT and its potential to be a stand-in therapist of sorts. But when I used it for the first time recently to get its take on a personal dilemma I was facing, I was nothing short of flabbergasted at how understanding, validating, insightful, supportive and – yes – therapeutic it was. I promptly reported back to my colleagues about it in our next morning news meeting. So when I received a pitch soon after that began with the words “Your AI therapist will see you now,” I wasted no time in commissioning the story. Texas A&M University neuroscientist Pooja Shree Chettiar explores both the promise and the potential pitfalls of the growing use of AI to supplement – and in some cases, replace – human therapists. “Could a string of code really help calm a storm of emotions?” Chettiar asks. “Can an algorithm say ‘I hear you’ with genuine understanding?” Those are some of the questions researchers are still trying to understand, as some studies show people do feel better after interacting with chatbots. “We know they work for many people, but we’re still learning how and why,” Chettiar writes.
Amanda Mascarelli Senior Health and Medicine Editor The Conversation U.S.
Lead Story
The AI therapist will see you now: Can chatbots really improve mental health? Pooja Shree Chettiar, Texas A&M University Mental health chatbots promise therapy at your fingertips, but can AI ease anxiety and depression, or are we confusing conversation with care?
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