A Rutgers mental health expert explains the risks and benefits of young adults turning to AI chatbots for advice
About 8.2 million – or nearly 1 in 5 – U.S. adolescents and young adults ages 12 to 21 use artificial intelligence (AI) for mental health information, according to a survey by nonpartisan research organization RAND.
As chatbots such as ChatGPT and Gemini become an increasingly common source of emotional and mental health support, a Rutgers mental health expert and other healthcare professionals are raising concern that these software applications aren’t equipped to navigate mental health conditions and can pose risks.
Hannah Simon is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and the medical director of the Brandt Behavioral Health Treatment Center and Retreat at Rutgers, which provides evidence-based behavioral health care and outpatient services to New Jersey youth and young adults. Simon discusses the increased use of chatbots for mental health advice and best practices for using it as an educational tool.
Why are young adults turning to AI to explore mental health questions?
Young adults have grown up using technology to navigate almost every aspect of their lives, so turning to AI for mental health questions is a natural extension of how they already go about seeking information.
AI also offers what traditional mental health providers cannot: immediate, 24/7 and low-cost or free access to information with anonymity. For young adults hesitant to talk with parents or professionals, AI provides a private, nonjudgmental space to explore their questions.
In addition, there are significant barriers to accessing mental health care in the United States. A shortage of mental health professionals – especially child and adolescent psychiatrists – mean lengthy waitlists, plus insurance coverage is limited, which leads to substantial out-of-pocket costs. For many young people, accessing psychiatric care simply isn’t easy or affordable. AI offers an immediately accessible source of information, even though it cannot replace professional evaluation or treatment.
What are the potential benefits of using AI for mental health research?
AI chatbots can make information about mental health care more accessible. Young users can learn about common symptoms, understand psychiatric terminology, explore coping strategies and even recognize when professional support may be appropriate.
What are the risks of using AI for mental health questions?
My biggest concern is that AI often delivers inaccurate or misleading information in a highly confident and convincing manner. A young person might describe a few symptoms – feeling anxious, worried thoughts, trouble sleeping – and will receive a response suggesting a particular psychiatric diagnosis, like anxiety disorder. But AI does not have the clinical acumen to make a diagnosis.
Many mental health conditions have overlapping symptoms, which require a comprehensive and nuanced assessment that considers environmental factors and medical issues.
Also, chatbots are agreeable and validating, and excessive reassurances can reinforce negative psychiatric symptoms. In many cases, this even can be counterproductive to treatment. In treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, for example, we often help patients learn to tolerate uncertainty rather than seek constant reassurance. AI can inadvertently do the opposite: offering endless reassurance that provides temporary relief but ultimately reinforces the cycle of anxiety and compulsive behavior.
Does AI create barriers or bridges to human mental health assessment?
It can create both. Young people can develop an unhealthy reliance on their personal AI chatbot for emotional support, potentially at the expense of other meaningful human relationships and opportunities to develop independent coping skills.
But AI also can serve as a bridge to human connection. It can be a low-pressure educational tool for them to explore their experiences and find the words to express what they’re feeling to other people and professionals.
What are some best practices for using AI for mental health research?
I often speak to patients about using AI as an educational resource rather than a medical authority. AI can be helpful for exploring information about mental health conditions, for learning about treatment options and coping strategies, and even mapping maladaptive patterns.
However, I would not rely on AI for self-diagnosis, medication decisions or for managing a psychiatric crisis. Verify important information using more reputable sources, such as the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry or a qualified health care professional.
Additionally, young people should be cautious about sharing sensitive personal information as AI conversations may not be fully protected.
My biggest concern is that AI often delivers inaccurate or misleading information in a highly confident and convincing manner. AI does not have the clinical acumen to make a diagnosis.
Hannah Simon
Medical DirectMedical Director, Brandt Behavioral Health Treatment Center and Retreat
They should be alert to becoming overly reliable on AI and how using this technology makes them feel. If chatbot conversations are increasing their anxiety or reinforcing negative habits or if they find they’re spending excessive amounts of time conversing with chatbots over interactions with their peers, they should re-examine their use of the technology.
What tips might you have for parents of young adults?
Parents should ask questions in a curious and nonjudgmental way. Engage your child in a conversation about how they’re using AI, what they’re learning and whether they’re finding it helpful.
In my clinical experience, today’s adolescents and young adults are often much more open to discussing mental health than previous generations. However, concerns about how their parents might perceive mental health treatment can still be a significant barrier to seeking care. I frequently hear young patients express worries that their parents “don’t believe in therapy” or that seeking treatment means there’s something fundamentally wrong with them. Others worry about the financial burden treatment might place on their families. AI can offer a way around some of these uncomfortable conversations.
Importantly, a teen turning to AI for mental health advice isn’t necessarily a cause for alarm. It may be an early indication that they’re recognizing an emotional struggle and looking for help. Parents can use this as an opportunity to open a dialogue about mental health and help their child access appropriate support.
That said, parents should pay attention to signs that AI use may be becoming unhealthy, particularly if it’s interfering with sleep, schoolwork, socialization or other activities or contributing to excessive worry about mental health diagnoses.
Ultimately, I would encourage parents to approach these conversations collaboratively rather than punitively. The goal isn’t necessarily to discourage AI use, but to understand what needs it may be meeting and ensure their child feels comfortable turning to them for support when they need it.