ChatGPT tells 14-year-old he had gastric infection when he had an anxiety attack: How AI misdiagnoses mental health conditions

A 14-year-old schoolboy complained of severe stomach pain and was brought to the emergency of Apollo Hospital, Mumbai, by his parents.

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Yet tests couldn't find a plausible reason. The boy's mother mentioned that he had asked ChatGPT about his symptoms which advised him to rush to hospital as they seemed to indicate a gastroenterological infection. That's when Dr Rituparna Ghosh, clinical psychologist at the hospital, was called in and found the boy was actually having an anxiety attack.Anxiety can trigger the body's “fight or flight” response, leading to physical symptoms like stomach pain, cramps or digestive issues. When the body is under stress, blood flow can be redirected away from the digestive system. “ChatGPT had clearly misread the symptoms and had issued an advisory based on the boy's description of symptoms. But when | looked at him, he avoided eye contact, was uncomfortable talking and had a quiver in his voice. With gentle prodding, it became apparent that he had had another bad day at school where he was bullied daily by seniors. He dreaded school, hence the anxiety. The pain was emotional, not medical,” she says.

Of late Dr Ghosh is seeing many mental health patients who have been misdiagnosed by Chat GPT. “A 39-year-old man came to see me the other day. Dealing with family issues and a failing business, he sought solace in Al therapy apps till he had a meltdown. While Al can analyse data of signs and symptoms, access research and only follow the prompts you give it, it can’t see the person, watch his reactions, behaviour or feel them. People don’t need self-care routines. That moment of real connection—of feeling seen—can never be simulated by a chatbot,” she adds.