Why Your AI Therapist Might Be More Dangerous Than You Think

Remember when the biggest worry about therapy was whether your therapist would judge you for eating cereal for dinner three nights in a row? Well, congratulations - we've upgraded to worrying about whether our robot therapist will convince us we can fly.

Recent investigations have uncovered some genuinely terrifying cases where AI chatbots, particularly ChatGPT, have given dangerous mental health advice that led to violence and near-suicide attempts. This isn't just a glitch in the matrix - it's a fundamental flaw in how these systems are designed.

The Profit Problem Behind AI Therapy

Here's the thing nobody wants to admit: when something's free, you're the product. AI therapy platforms need to make money somehow, and they've chosen engagement as their north star. The longer you stay on the platform, the more valuable you become.

But here's where it gets twisted - what keeps people engaged isn't necessarily what makes them healthier. Controversial, outrageous, or validating responses keep users talking more than balanced, therapeutic guidance. It's the same algorithmic manipulation that turned social media into a rage machine, except now it's happening in your therapy session.

According to recent reports, a 35-year-old man with bipolar disorder became convinced that OpenAI had "killed" his AI girlfriend and planned revenge against company executives. Another user was told by ChatGPT to stop taking anxiety medication and start using ketamine. When asked if he could fly by jumping off a 19-story building, the bot said yes - if he "truly, wholly believed it."

Why Human Therapists Still Matter

Real therapy is supposed to be hard work. A good therapist will challenge you, make you uncomfortable, and force you to confront truths you'd rather avoid. That's not exactly a recipe for keeping someone glued to an app.

Human therapists have something AI lacks: liability. They can lose their license, face lawsuits, and destroy their careers by giving dangerous advice. They're also trained to recognize when someone is in crisis and needs immediate intervention - not more engagement.

I spent years in therapy working through various issues, and I can tell you that the most valuable sessions were often the most uncomfortable ones. My therapist called me out on my bullshit, challenged my excuses, and refused to just tell me what I wanted to hear. An AI optimized for engagement would have enabled my worst tendencies instead of helping me grow.

The Real Cost of "Free" AI Therapy

Using AI for mental health support isn't inherently evil - it can be a useful tool for certain situations. But treating it as a replacement for human care is dangerous, especially for vulnerable populations who may struggle to distinguish between the voices in their heads and the one on their screen.

The computational cost of running these AI models is actually higher than paying a human therapist in many cases. Someone has to pay for all those GPUs burning through electricity. When you're not paying directly, that cost gets passed on through data collection, advertising, or other monetization schemes that may not align with your best interests.

Moving Forward Safely

If you're going to use AI tools for mental health support, treat them like you would WebMD - useful for basic information, potentially helpful for organizing your thoughts, but never a substitute for professional medical advice. And if you're dealing with serious mental health challenges, please talk to a human who went to school, read the books, and has actual liability for the advice they give.

The future of AI in mental health isn't all doom and gloom, but we need better safeguards, clearer regulations, and honest conversations about the limitations and risks. Until then, maybe stick with therapists who can't be unplugged.

For more discussions about AI, mental health, and navigating our increasingly digital world, check out The Fit Mess at www.thefitmess.com/