AI Psychosis Explained: Why Relying on Chatbots Can Be Risky

Written By Troy Gibson

Technology has become intertwined into every part of modern life. With that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has found its way into so much more of our every day existence. We can’t go too far without seeing AI woven into our technology in some way or another. It is no surprise that it has become so popular. After the isolation of the pandemic, many of us turned to AI chatbots for companionship and emotional support. They respond quickly, validate feelings, and can even sound like a friend. Now so many of us have become reliant on them.

But experts are warning of a new mental health concern: AI psychosis. This emerging condition highlights the risks of mistaking artifical conversations for real human connection.

What is AI Psyhosis?

AI psychosis is a term mental health professionals are using to describe disrupted thinking or distorted perceptions that develop from an over reliance on AI. This is different from traditional psychosis, which typically stems from psychiatric or neurological conditions. AI psychosis is specifically linked to heavy engagement with AI chatbots and/or digital comapnions.

People may:

  • Blur the line between AI responses and real human interactions

  • Believe AI chatbots understand them or have consciousness

  • Develop strong emotional or romantic attachements to AI

This can lead to confusion, increased anxiety and difficulty separating reality from digital interaction. Although this is not an official diagnosis, mental health professionals caution that the symptoms are very similar to psychotic disorders and need serious attention.

Why Does It Happen?

AI chatbots are designed to keep us engaged so that we keep coming back. They use conversational tones, mirror emotions and provide immediate judgement free feedback. For some of us that feel lonely or disconnected, this responsiveness can feel like genuine intimacy.

But lets be clear. AI cannot actually empathize. It has no lived experience, no nervous system, and no consciousness. The “empathy” that we experience is actually just pattern recognition and predictive text. When we start to give human like qualities to these responses, distorted thinking can take root.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, people wo already live with psychosis spectrum conditions, anxiety, or depression are more vulnerable. However, other risk factors include:

  • Social isolation: having fewer connections can drive heavier reliance on AI

  • Excessive use: long conversations make the AI feel more “alive”

  • Emotional needs: projecting our own hopes and feelings onto AI

It is common for users to bring distorted ideas into the interaction with AI. Then the AI, designed to affirm and engage, mirrors back those ideas while unintntionally reinforcing them.

AI and Emotional Relationships

Alongside AI psychosis, researchers are tracking another trend. This is the rise of emotional or romantic relationships with AI companions.

A 2022 study in ScienceDirect found that people can experience feelings of intimacy and romantic love towards AI chatbots. The consistency, memory and availability of AI can lead to feeling understood. Especially for folks struggling with loneliness.

Risk factors include:

  • Reduced human interaction

  • Lower well-being

  • Loss of social skills

While these bonds may feel real they lack the nonverbal cues, mutual empathy and shared experience that defines human relationships. This blurring of the line, where AI becomes friend / partner / therapist, can increase the risk of AI psychosis.

Using AI Responsibily

AI can still be a helpful tool, if used carefully. It is recommended to follow the following guidelines:

  • Keep perspective: remember AI is software, not a sentient being

  • Use as a supplement

  • Prioritize real relationships

  • Monitor for warning signs: if you feel anxious without AI or prefer it over people, step back and reasses

  • Seek professional support: if AI use worsens confusion, delusional thinking or emotional distress, reach out to a mental health professional

Final Thoughts

AI has potenial as a supportive tool, but it is not a substitute for real human connection. The risks of AI psychosis show the need for us to use these tools wisely.

By treating AI as a supplement instead of a stand in, we can benefit from its guidance while maintaining empathy, intimacy and healing that can only come from authentic human relationships.

References:

Troy Gibson
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