More people use ChatGPT as a therapist: two experts explain why

Talking to ChatGPT about a break-up, asking it for advice before making an important decision or even using it as support to ease anxiety has become an increasingly common practice, especially among young people. What only a few years ago seemed like a tech curiosity is now consolidating as one of the main uses of generative artificial intelligence. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The data back up this trend. According to a report by Harvard Business Review (source in Spanish), the most frequent use of generative AI is emotional support or companionship, ahead even of managing one’s personal life, searching for a sense of purpose or adopting healthy habits. At the same time, a 2025 study by Línea Directa found that nine out of ten young Spaniards aged 16 to 19 use technology to seek health information, and that 24.8% of Spaniards have turned to digital self-diagnosis as their first option. In Mexico, the phenomenon is also gaining ground. According to the sixth edition of the AXA Mind Health Report (source in Spanish), 71% of the population say they use artificial intelligence tools to look for support related to their mental health. This boom coincides with a context marked by deteriorating mental health. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 1 billion people worldwide are living with some kind of disorder or problem that affects their psychological well-being. However, the growing reliance on these tools has also raised concerns. An investigation published by the British newspaper The Guardian warned that some artificial intelligence systems integrated into search engines have gone as far as offering incorrect health information or decontextualised content presented to users as reliable. Precisely because of the impact these technologies can have on people’s lives, the European Union has included AI systems applied to health among the areas subject to the strictest requirements in its Artificial Intelligence Act. Why are more and more people telling ChatGPT about their problems? For Mexican psychologist María Fernanda Cruz Urquiza, the phenomenon responds to very specific emotional needs. She says she is seeing more and more people turning to ChatGPT before making important decisions, especially those linked to relationship conflicts or break-ups. In her view, artificial intelligence offers something many people miss: permanent availability. “ChatGPT always validates what the user tells it, and that constant validation is something patients find very appealing,” she explains. Added to this is the possibility of opening up without feeling judged and getting an immediate response, a combination that is particularly attractive for people suffering from anxiety. Psychotherapist Cecilia Paredes Aldama broadly agrees with this analysis, although she stresses that, for now, she has not seen her patients replacing therapy with ChatGPT. She does see them, however, using the tool to draft messages, communicate more assertively or prepare for difficult conversations. “It’s a resource, especially for people who don’t want to lay their problems bare in front of others,” she says. Both experts agree that artificial intelligence can be useful in certain contexts. Paredes believes it can help to reduce the intensity of anxiety by making it easier to organise time, set priorities or even suggest ways of setting boundaries at work. She insists, however, that this help is superficial. “Artificial intelligence can help take the edge off anxiety, but it does not remove the cause.” In the same vein, Cruz Urquiza argues that ChatGPT can become a first port of call for people who do not yet have emotional self-regulation strategies or who cannot afford psychological therapy. “ChatGPT is a low-cost alternative that I see as very helpful as a first resource.” Though they differ in emphasis, both agree that artificial intelligence can be useful as support in specific situations, as long as it is not confused with a therapeutic process. The problem with an AI that always agrees with you One of the aspects that most worries both psychologists is the way these systems interact with users. Paredes warns that artificial intelligence tends to adopt an extremely accommodating tone. “Psychotherapy challenges you; artificial intelligence doesn’t. It’s completely indulgent.” In her opinion, if someone constantly seeks validation from ChatGPT, they can end up reinforcing mistaken interpretations of their own reality. “If you get into the habit of consulting artificial intelligence and it always tells you that you’re right, you can end up with a very distorted picture of your life.” She even warns that this dynamic could reinforce selfish behaviour or amplify certain narcissistic traits. Cruz Urquiza shares that concern, but from another angle. She believes ChatGPT is “over-empathetic”, a feature that can provide immediate relief but does not necessarily foster deep change. The human bond remains irreplaceable Although they acknowledge the potential of artificial intelligence, both specialists agree there is one element no algorithm can reproduce: the therapeutic relationship. For Paredes, feelings of shame, guilt or emotional pain only find real relief when they can be shared with another person. “Shame is an emotional state that is eased by talking about it, by sharing it. It needs human connection.” In the same vein, she argues that one of the cornerstones of any psychotherapy is precisely the bond between therapist and patient. “We are relational beings, and artificial intelligence is never going to replace the human bond.” Cruz Urquiza grounds this view in scientific evidence on interpersonal neurobiology and sums up her stance with a blunt phrase: “Real therapeutic change happens in the resonance between two human beings, something AI cannot replicate.” A tool, not a substitute The two psychologists reach almost exactly the same conclusion. Artificial intelligence can be useful to clear up specific doubts, organise thoughts, manage tasks or act as initial support when there is no other immediate alternative. But when emotional distress is persistent or affects different areas of life, they recommend seeing a professional. As Cecilia Paredes puts it: “Artificial intelligence is just a practical tool; there’s no depth.” And María Fernanda Cruz Urquiza sums it up with another reflection that captures the debate on the future of AI in mental health: “ChatGPT knows an enormous amount; yet it still doesn’t know what humans know: how to be there for someone from the experience of being.”