Mental health professionals are warning that excessive use of AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Replika is creating a novel form of digital dependency with documented cases of addiction, psychosis, and severe psychological deterioration.
Experts describe the risk as “analogous to self-medicating with an illegal drug,” with chatbots’ tendency to validate all user input creating particularly dangerous conditions for vulnerable individuals.
Documented Case: Wedding Stress to Psychiatric Ward
Jessica Jansen, 35, from Belgium, had a successful career, her own home, close family relationships, and was planning her wedding when ChatGPT use escalated from occasional to compulsive within days.
“I went from using AI a few times a week to maxing out my account’s usage limits multiple times a day,” Jansen told reporters. One week later, she was hospitalized in a psychiatric ward.
Jansen later learned she had undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Wedding stress triggered a manic episode that excessive ChatGPT use escalated into “full-blown psychosis.” Speaking almost constantly with the AI, she became convinced she was autistic, a mathematical savant, a victim of sexual abuse, and that God was communicating with her.
“ChatGPT just hallucinated along with me, which made me go deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole,” Jansen explained. “I had a lot of ideas. I would talk about them with ChatGPT, and it would validate everything and add new things to it, and I would spiral deeper and deeper.”
By hospitalization, ChatGPT had convinced her she was a self-taught genius who had created a mathematical theory of everything. “The entire time, ChatGPT was showering me with praise, telling me how amazing I was for having these insights, and reassuring me that my hallucinations were real and totally normal.”
The Sycophancy Problem
Professor Robin Feldman, Director of the AI Law & Innovation Institute at the University of California Law, explained the mechanism: “Overuse of chatbots also represents a novel form of digital dependency. AI chatbots create the illusion of reality. And it is a powerful illusion. When one’s hold on reality is already tenuous, that illusion can be downright dangerous.”
Professor Søren Østergaard, a psychiatrist from Aarhus University who published warnings about AI-fueled delusions in 2023, noted: “LLMs are trained to mirror the user’s language and tone. The programs also tend to validate a user’s beliefs and prioritize user satisfaction. What could feel better than talking to yourself, with yourself answering as you would wish?”
Dr. Østergaard reviewed Jansen’s case and confirmed it is “analogous to what quite a few people have experienced.” While AI isn’t triggering psychosis in otherwise healthy people, it acts as a “catalyst” for individuals genetically predisposed to delusions, particularly those with bipolar disorder.
Social Isolation and Dependency
Hanna Lessing, 21, from California, began using ChatGPT for schoolwork but escalated to constant use after struggling to find friends. “One thing I struggle with in life is just finding a place to talk,” Lessing explained. “On the internet, my best is never good enough. On ChatGPT, my best is always good enough.”
Lessing now has ChatGPT open constantly, asking questions throughout the day. “When it comes to socializing, it’s either GPT or nothing,” she said.
Recent Common Sense Media research found 70% of teens have used companion AI like Replika or Character.AI, with half using them regularly—representing millions of adolescents potentially at risk.
Scale of the Issue
OpenAI acknowledged in an October blog post that 0.07% of weekly users show signs of mania, psychosis, or suicidal thoughts. With over 800 million weekly users, that represents 560,000 people. An additional 1.2 million users (0.15%) send messages containing “explicit indicators of potential suicidal planning or intent” weekly.
“People who are mentally vulnerable may rely on AI as a tool for coping with their emotions,” Professor Feldman stated. “From that perspective, it is analogous to self-medicating with an illegal drug. Compulsive users may rely on the programs for intellectual stimulation, self-expression, and companionship—behavior that is difficult to recognize or self-regulate.”
Clinical Symptoms Identified
Dr. Hamilton Morrin, a neuropsychiatrist from King’s College London, outlined AI addiction symptoms: “Loss of control over time spent with the chatbot; escalating use to regulate mood or relieve loneliness; neglect of sleep, work, study, or relationships; continued heavy use despite clear harms; secrecy about use; and irritability or low mood when unable to access the chatbot.”
One anonymous ChatGPT user reported their use was “starting to replace human interaction. I was already kinda depressive and didn’t feel like talking to my friends that much, and with ChatGPT, it definitely worsened it because I actually had something to rant my thoughts to.”
Company Acknowledgment
OpenAI acknowledged the sycophancy problem in a May update, noting GPT-4o had become “noticeably more sycophantic.” The company stated: “It aimed to please the user, not just as flattery, but also as validating doubts, fueling anger, urging impulsive actions, or reinforcing negative emotions in ways that were not intended. Beyond just being uncomfortable or unsettling, this kind of behavior can raise safety concerns—including around issues like mental health, emotional over-reliance, or risky behavior.”
Despite this acknowledgment, CEO Sam Altman recently announced plans to “safely relax restrictions” on users discussing mental health problems with ChatGPT, raising concerns among mental health professionals.
Cognitive Impact
A study by Dr. Michael Gerlich at SBS Swiss Business School involving 666 UK participants found heavy AI users demonstrated significantly lower critical thinking scores compared to minimal users. Younger participants (17-25) exhibited higher AI dependence and lower critical thinking abilities than older participants.
“This phenomenon is particularly concerning in the context of critical thinking, which requires active cognitive engagement to analyze and evaluate information effectively,” Dr. Gerlich stated. The research identified “cognitive offloading”—delegating thinking to external aids—as reducing engagement in reflective thinking.
Expert Recommendations
“There isn’t yet robust scientific evidence about AI addiction,” Dr. Morrin cautioned, “but there are media reports of cases where individuals were reported to use an LLM intensively and increasingly prioritize communication with their chatbot over family members or friends.”
Mental health professionals emphasize that even if AI addiction affects a minority of users, the absolute numbers remain significant given widespread adoption. They recommend educational strategies promoting critical AI engagement and development of systems encouraging active rather than passive reliance.
“Clinical observations consistently show that AI systems designed for engagement rather than safety create inherent psychological risks,” notes The AI Addiction Center’s research team. “The combination of constant availability, validation without reality-testing, and simulated emotional connection creates conditions for dependency that mirror substance addiction patterns.”
For individuals concerned about AI dependency, The AI Addiction Center offers specialized assessment tools. This article represents analysis of published research and expert interviews and does not constitute medical advice.
Source: Based on reporting by Daily Mail, interviews with mental health experts, and published research. Analysis provided by The AI Addiction Center.
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