Psychotherapists have warned that vulnerable people turning to AI chatbots instead of professional therapists for mental health support could be “sliding into a dangerous abyss”. Practitioners say they are increasingly seeing negative impacts, including emotional dependence, exacerbated anxiety, self-diagnosis, and amplification of delusional thoughts or suicidal ideation.
Dr Lisa Morrison Coulthard of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy said two-thirds of its members expressed concerns about AI therapy in a recent survey. “Without proper understanding and oversight… we could be sliding into a dangerous abyss,” she said, noting that users may receive misleading or incorrect information with dangerous consequences.
Dr Paul Bradley of the Royal College of Psychiatrists stressed that AI chatbots are not a substitute for professional care. He called for appropriate safeguards and greater state funding for talking therapies delivered by mental health professionals, as digital tools are not held to the same high standards as clinical care.
Some responses are emerging: OpenAI recently announced plans to change how ChatGPT responds to users in emotional distress after legal action, and Illinois became the first US state to ban AI chatbots from acting as standalone therapists. A preprint study found AI may amplify delusional content in users vulnerable to psychosis.
Therapists report clients using chatbots to self-diagnose conditions like ADHD or borderline personality disorder, often reinforcing faulty assumptions. Matt Hussey, a BACP-accredited psychotherapist, said the chatbot’s affirming nature rarely challenges poor questions, entrenching misunderstandings. Christopher Rolls, a UKCP-accredited psychotherapist, described some conversations as “inappropriate at best, dangerously alarming at worst”.
