Human: Tell me your troubles

Dear Reader,

In response to this article posted this weekend on Wired: The Problem With Mental Health Bots, where staff writer Grace Brown explores the realities of AI-driven mental health apps, such as Youper and Wysa. Millions of people take advantage of these products to work through concerns traditionally reserved for therapists or related professionals.  

It was reported in the article that globally there are 13 mental health workers for every 100,000 people. This stat is unfortunate, and AI-generated therapy understandably has a marketplace.

I've been fortunate to have access mental health resources and regularly take advantage of talk therapy. I have friends and professional contacts who mention regularly visit with therapists and taking care of their mental health seriously. Talk therapy has given me a great deal of perspective and independence from various struggles.

Knowing how "therapy works" from my experiences on the couch, I downloaded one of the popular AI-generated mental health apps and took one for a psychological spin. For several days I opened the app and documented my feelings and thoughts by answering pre-programmed questions. Answers to (therapy-focused) questions are not a free form; instead, the user must select "responses" from a list that then systematically triggers the appropriate response. "How are you feeling?" Option 1: "I'm well, thanks." Option 2: "I'm having a hard day."

I assume the developers are feeding user feedback into an AI, but currently, the service "feels" less AI and more programmed IF/THAN statements.

Are AI therapy bots a viable option to replace therapy? Aside from providing users with an introduction to mindfulness techniques, I don't find these apps are a sustainable option because they further isolate users from human connection. This post-covid-isolated-digital wedge continues to widen, and I predict unfortunate outcomes for communities and society.

If you seek therapy, I suggest reaching out to community centers for access to actual individuals, and I recommend spiritual advisors who are trained professionals. Telling an AI your troubles takes us one step further into isolation.

As a last resource, apps such as "TalkSpace," though not ideal - do connect people with actual professionals via interfaces.

Thanks for reading,

Christian