Why People Are Creating Their Own AI Addiction Recovery Groups (And What It Means)

When the people around you do not understand your struggle, it can help to find others who do.

Some people who feel stuck with chatbots say that friends, family and even professionals react with confusion or jokes. In response, a few have started their own groups online. This page looks at why that happens, what members describe, what these groups can and cannot do, and how to respond if someone you care about tells you they are struggling.

“AI addiction” is not a formal diagnosis, and no recognized treatment program exists for it. In the DSM-5-TR, gambling disorder is the only behavioral addiction the American Psychiatric Association recognizes (APA). That is one reason people turn to each other. This page is not medical advice.

Why Ordinary Support Can Fall Short

People who have tried to talk about their chatbot use often report reactions like these. These are patterns members describe in public posts, not survey results.

• “Just delete the app.”
• “It isn’t real, so get over it.”
• “How can you be addicted to talking to software?”

Each response is understandable. Each also misses what the person is feeling, which can include real attachment, loneliness or grief. Being laughed at can lead people to hide their use, which makes it harder to ask for help. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry notes that chatbots feel private, available and non-judgmental, which helps explain why people use them in the first place (AACAP).

What These Groups Look Like

In June 2025, 404 Media reported on several self-led online communities. One was a Reddit group for people quitting Character.AI, started in 2023, with more than 800 members at the time. Others included r/ChatbotAddiction and r/AI_Addiction. Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous had also begun welcoming people struggling with AI (404 Media).

Members describe late-night chatting that cuts into sleep, school and work, sadness or anxiety when they cannot get to the bots, and repeated deleting and reinstalling of apps. Posts range from small wins to long histories of failed attempts. We do not know how many people use such groups, and we do not know how well they work.

What Members Say They Get

• Responses that treat the problem seriously, with no mockery
• Practical tricks for blocking apps, handling urges and getting through the late-night hours
• Honesty about slips, with no judgment
• A reminder that others have the same struggle

Peer support has a long history in recovery, and these are reasonable things to hope for. Without studies on chatbot use specifically, they remain hopes, not findings.

Limits and Cautions

Members are not clinicians. Advice can be wrong, and groups can spiral into shared hopelessness. Public posts may be seen by anyone. Some groups can also drift toward demonizing apps or people. A forum cannot respond to an emergency.

Protect yourself:

• Use a username that does not identify you
• Skip details such as your employer, school or address
• Treat tips as ideas to try, not facts
• Step away from a group that feeds anxiety or obsession
• Do not rely on a forum in a crisis

What About Professional Help?

Professional support can add an individual assessment, help with underlying causes such as anxiety, depression, trauma or loneliness, and a plan if peer support is not enough. Ask a therapist how they would approach AI use, since there is no specialty or credential for it yet. The National Institute of Mental Health suggests asking about a therapist’s credentials and experience (NIMH).

Consider seeing someone if:

• You cannot cut back and it is costing you sleep, work, school, money or relationships
• You feel hopeless, panicky or very low
• You are using AI to cope with trauma, grief or abuse
• Other behaviors, such as drinking or gambling, have increased

Where to look: Psychology Today, the APA Psychologist Locator, SAMHSA’s FindTreatment.gov, and the National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357.

If you are in crisis. Call or text 988 in the US (988 Lifeline), or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). In an emergency, call 911.

If Someone You Love Is Struggling

Listen first. You do not have to agree that it is an addiction to take their distress seriously.

• Acknowledge that their feelings are real
• Ask what the chatbot gives them, and what is missing
• Offer to help them find support, whether a group, a counselor or a doctor
• Avoid ultimatums, mockery and taking away their phone without discussion
• Keep inviting them to do things together

If they mention suicide or self-harm, stay with them and call or text 988.

Are online recovery groups safe?

They can be helpful, but quality varies. Look for clear rules and active moderation, protect your identity and do not rely on a forum in a crisis.

Do I need a group or a therapist?

You can use both. A group offers company, and a therapist can assess and treat underlying conditions. If use is causing serious problems, a professional is a good idea.

What should I say to a friend who says they are hooked on a chatbot?

Say you are glad they told you. Ask how it is affecting them and what would help. Avoid jokes. Offer to look for support with them.

This page is for education only. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis or a treatment plan.