How AI could be adding to the growing issue of mental illness worldwide
How AI could be adding to the growing issue of mental illness worldwide
Publish Date: 2026-06-05 09:21:00
Source Domain: www.news4jax.com
While it can make life easier, some research shows AI may be harmful to your mental health. – More than 65% of people use Artificial Intelligence (AI) on a regular basis in their everyday lives.
And you might not even know you’re using it!
One study found only about 33% of consumers think they are using AI platforms — but the actual usage is 77%!
While it can make life easier, some research shows AI may be harmful to your mental health.
Today, more than 1 in 5 Americans has a mental illness.
“The rates of things like anxiety and depression and burnout have skyrocketed,” said Dr. Emily Anhalt, a psychoanalytic psychologist.
And, it’s also a global issue.
“There’s a 25% increase in mental health problems worldwide,” said Dr. Jodi Halpern, co-director of the Kavli Center for Ethics, Science and the Public School of Public Health at UC Berkeley. “That’s an enormous number when you think of all the people in the world.”
New research suggests AI could be adding to the problem.
In a 2026 study in JAMA Network Open, researchers found AI usage was linked to a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and irritability. Specifically, the odds of moderate depression were 30% higher among those who used AI at least daily.
But the recent trend has been using AI to help with mental illnesses.
People are using chatbots for online therapy in place of real therapists. The pros are that it’s accessible, easy, cheap, and private. But experts warn there’s not enough scientific data or oversight when it comes to AI therapy.
In short, AI shouldn’t be a substitute for therapy with a real person.
“If what you’re getting is an artificial relationship, then what you’re getting is artificial healing,” Anhalt says.
Earlier this year, character.ai and Google settled multiple lawsuits alleging that their chatbots contributed to mental health crises and suicides among teenagers.
“Technology is a good thing, but everything needs to be used in a way that cares about…
