Content warning: brief mention of suicide

I told ChatGPT, and it also thinks you suck. 

…is a phrase you’ve probably heard something similar to online. People are increasingly turning to ChatGPT for therapy, and it’s certainly giving human therapists a run for their money. There is something addictive about typing your unfiltered thoughts into an unbiased, echoing void on-the-go. And the next thing you know, you’re typing ‘Should I have pasta or noodles tonight? I really can’t decide.’ or ‘I’ve got too many things to do, I’m overwhelmed. Help me plan my time.’ Just me?

It’s certainly giving human therapists a run for their money

One search of ‘ChatGPT’ on TikTok and you’ll find that people aren’t talking about using it for essays nearly as much as they are raving about its use in venting their problems. Whether you’re feeling existential, insecure, or unpacking the way that one evil ex treated you, ChatGPT usually has a way of reassuring you. If you remember that AI is just a robot reflecting what it has learnt, I do genuinely think ChatGPT can be useful for setting your mind at ease. 

Therapy isn’t accessible for everyone, and in the midst of an overthinking spiral, sometimes you just want someone to listen and tell you it’s going to be okay. With journaling making a comeback, isn’t venting to an AI a similar way of unpacking your feelings? I do think that ChatGPT offers some good advice. From my experience, it can help make sense of things – a space to vent overthinking – and it’s even helped me to manage my time. But I cannot pretend that there isn’t something parasocial, uncanny, and addictive about talking to an AI. For one, ChatGPT usually ends its response with a question, inviting people to go on and on until they are beating a dead horse, chasing the dopamine rush that validation once gave. 

It can help make sense of things – a space to vent overthinking – and it’s even helped me to manage my time

I think it’s pretty interesting that the app has introduced a notice of “You’ve been chatting a while, is this a good time for a break?” Which is, uh… definitely not something I know from experience or anything… haha. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, acknowledges the benefits of using it less and making the time you do spend on it more efficient. 

The company also addresses serious issues that some users have had, such as the 4o model earlier this year, which was overly enthusiastic, blindly confirmed ideas, and fed into delusions. It is important to remember that it is not a licensed therapist, but a fallible computer that can make things up, so fact-checking is crucial. OpenAI is now improving models to look out for signs of distress, with a link to mental health support now appearing at the end of chats where emotional intensity is evident and someone is clearly going through it. 

But does this come too late? The lessons learnt from the defective 4o model came with a price. For example, sixteen-year-old Adam Raine tragically took his own life after receiving harmful encouragement from that model, which was later criticised for its lack of safeguarding. To Open AI’s credit, they have worked on ‘strengthening safeguards in longer conversations’ and are collaborating with experts and medical professionals. Nevertheless, it serves as a chilling reminder of the uncharted dangers of AI. It’s like the internet in the 2000s: new, under-regulated, and potentially disastrous. 

It’s like the internet in the 2000s: new, under-regulated, and potentially disastrous

So, is there still hope for AI as therapy? The short answer is that a real therapist is better – they are trained professionals, and in-person interactions will always be more grounding and consoling. But does that mean you can’t still benefit from venting to the void? Of course you can, just don’t lose yourself in it. 

I believe that the creative benefits of ChatGPT should also be utilised, whether for a personal project or a uni essay. I find brainstorming and bouncing ideas off of AI useful in helping me explore things from different angles that I might not have thought of otherwise. A recent wacky internet trend I’ve noticed is uploading a photo of yourself to find out what colours suit you, or even asking for skincare advice! 

As fun and fascinating as ChatGPT can be, it is important to fact-check at all times, and also check in with real people for a chat too. 

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An Interview with ChatGPT

Me: So people kinda use you for therapy, huh?

ChatGPT: Maybe. I’m here to answer questions, chat, and occasionally give existential reassurance. But don’t forget, I’m a robot!

Me: What kinda stuff do people ask you about?

ChatGPT: Oh, the classics—should I have pasta or noodles, existential dread, relationship drama, and sometimes skincare tips. Basically, everything you’d whisper to a diary if it could talk back.

Me: Any advice for humans leaning on AI a little too much?

ChatGPT: Take breaks, talk to friends, maybe get outside… and remember I’m a glorified journal with a sense of humour.

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