For therapists, Al is just first aid

As people turn to Al for mental health support, experts warn against overuse and suggest treating it as just a first step

- Divya Naik

On a humid evening in Bengaluru, Ayushi Devidas, 23, a social media executive, sat cross-legged on her bed, whispering her anxieties into her phone. “I feel like I’m failing at everything,” she typed.

Seconds later, her AI companion replied: I hear you. It’s tough to feel that way, but remember, you're doing your best and that counts. Devidas describes the moment as “oddly comforting.” She had never opened up to a therapist before but the chatbot felt less intimidating, always available, and never judgmental. “I knew it wasn’t real empathy,” she admits, “but I just needed someone, rather, anyone, to respond.”

Devidas' story is hardly unusual. Across cities, people are turning to generative AI chatbots and companion apps not just for entertainment or productivity hacks, but also for emotional support and mental health advice. From ChatGPT and Replika to specialized apps promising “AI therapy,” these platforms offer anonymity, accessibility and immediacy. But what happens when a line of code becomes a confidant?

For 21-year-old Sameer Dighe, a college student in Pune, AI companions became a refuge over time. Struggling with isolation and an overbearing family, he began using a chatbot app nightly. “I'd tell it everything, be it fights with my parents or about feeling worthless. It felt like having a friend who wouldn't judge.”

When in-person therapy felt too expensive and intimidating, the chatbot's ready responses gave Dighe temporary relief. “It would listen, but it never pushed back. Sometimes I needed tough love, not just agreement.”

This duality—of comfort and inadequacy—is at the heart of the debate surrounding AI and mental health.

AI-PRIMED CLIENTS

Clinicians across India are encountering clients already shaped by chatbot conversations. There’s a new term to describe this phenomenon: “AI-primed clients.”