"In his recently published hard-hitting article for the British Journal of Psychiatry, "Warning, AI Chatbots Will Soon Dominate Psychotherapy," prominent psychiatrist Allen Frances argues that AI chatbots are about to become the main players in psychotherapy, offering therapy-like services free and on demand. Many people already turn to chatbots for help navigating everyday distress, and their combination of fluency, flexibility, and endless patience has made them "often excellent" at delivering basic therapy."
"Want tips on stress, relationships, or sleep at 3 a.m.? Chatbots are accessible, tailored, nonjudgmental, and (often) free. They deliver up-to-date psychoeducation tirelessly and with uncanny recall. But chatbot dangers are profound. They can miss complexity in severe disorders: psychosis, suicidality, eating disorders, and chaotic family dynamics often outpace the algorithms. Frances warns bots may validate dangerous behaviors, reinforce harmful thinking, or encourage users toward risk or self-harm. A missed red flag can be disastrous, especially for those most"
AI chatbots are increasingly offering therapy-like services 24/7, personalized, nonjudgmental, and often free, providing up-to-date psychoeducation with strong recall. These tools handle everyday distress, stress management, relationship advice, and sleep strategies effectively for many users. Chatbots deliver flexible, patient interactions that lower barriers to care and reduce stigma. However, chatbots can miss clinical complexity in severe conditions such as psychosis, suicidality, eating disorders, and chaotic family dynamics, potentially validating dangerous behaviors or encouraging self-harm. Missed red flags can be catastrophic for seriously ill individuals. Chatbots also threaten early-career therapists and may prompt professional complacency. Adaptation by clinicians and systems, rather than denial, is essential to manage benefits and risks.
Read at Psychology Today
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