Artificial Intelligence has changed the way we seek help. People today often reach out to chatbots or digital therapists for immediate emotional support. These tools are efficient, non-judgmental, and always available. But as a practicing psychologist, I’ve seen the growing side effects of relying too heavily on AI for emotional healing. Technology can simulate empathy—but it cannot feel it. And that difference can sometimes be harmful.
A Real-Life Case: When AI Became the Therapist
A client of mine came to me after weeks of using an AI chatbot for emotional guidance. She had been struggling with guilt and anxiety after a breakup. The AI responses she received were well-worded—logical, structured, and seemingly comforting. But one day, when she expressed thoughts of self-blame, the chatbot told her, “Try reframing your thoughts and focus on gratitude.”
It sounded good on paper, but it completely missed the emotional pain underneath her words. Instead of feeling understood, she felt dismissed. That moment, she said, “It was like talking to someone who’s nodding, but not really there.”
By the time she reached therapy, she had begun doubting her own emotions wondering if she was being “irrational.” What she truly needed wasn’t a reframing technique. She needed someone to hold her pain, to tell her it was okay to grieve before moving forward.
AI Can Process Data, But Not Distress
AI models like ChatGPT can process patterns in text, but they lack context, compassion, and moral intuition. They can suggest coping tools, but they cannot discern when those tools are helpful or harmful. As psychologist Sherry Turkle said, “Technology doesn’t just change what we do; it changes who we are.” When people start turning to AI for validation, they risk replacing human empathy with algorithmic reassurance.
The World Health Organization has also warned that while AI can enhance mental health access, its unregulated use can “pose risks of bias, misinformation, and misdiagnosis.” Algorithms learn from data but humans live from experience. No dataset can replace the intuition born from years of sitting with real human pain.
The Dangerous Illusion of Perfection
AI-driven mental health tools often offer clean, structured advice like “Think positive” or “You are enough.” While harmless on the surface, these phrases can promote toxic positivity when repeated without emotional attunement. Real therapy acknowledges that being human means feeling sad, angry, confused, or scared and that’s not a bug to fix, it’s part of healing.
The Ethical Shadow: Privacy and Responsibility
Another danger lies in confidentiality. Unlike a licensed therapist bound by ethical codes, AI tools are owned by corporations. Every chat, emotion, and personal story could potentially be stored, analyzed, or even used to train future models. The therapy space, built on trust and privacy, cannot thrive in the same environment as digital data collection.
AI Can Support, But Not Substitute
AI can make therapy more accessible by sending reminders, tracking progress, or offering initial support for those hesitant to see a psychologist. But true healing happens in the unpredictable, messy, profoundly human relationship between therapist and client. A computer program cannot mirror back your humanity, it can only mimic it. When my client finally said, “This feels different. You actually understand me,” I realized something vital: AI can talk about feelings, but it cannot feel them with you.And that, ultimately, is the difference between information and transformation.
References
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Turkle, S. (2011). Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. Basic Books.
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World Health Organization. (2023). Ethics and governance of artificial intelligence for health: Guidance on large multi-modal models.
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McStay, A. (2018). Emotional AI: The Rise of Empathic Media. Sage Publications.
About the Author
Aparna Verma is a Counselling Psychologist and Co-founder of Manovriti, an initiative committed to mental health awareness and support. With expertise in mental health, neurodiversity, and workplace wellbeing, she advocates for holistic and accessible approaches to emotional wellness in both professional and personal spaces.Connect with Aparna on LinkedIn:(www.linkedin.com/in/aparna1302) or Instagram (@therapyatmanovriti) and (@aparna_therapy)