To think chat GPT is better than some 'real' therapists?

[SoapOnARopEeeee]

I'm not affiliated in any way, promise! Just really, really impressed.

That app has done more for me than any amount of CBT has.

Incredible.

You are deeply underestimating how many people that don’t want to do that. Maybe you do. Many don’t.

It may be helpful, but it’s not therapy. How could
it ever replace the healing presence of another human? Real therapists notice how you walk into a room, how your voice changes, and pick up stuff which is out of your conscious awareness through transference.

I’m in a country that does recycle properly, many of us cycle to most places every day and basically use our brain to at least try to save the planet. UK is shockingly bad at it. Noone can do everything, but most people can do quite a lot.

I find this deeply sad. Are you giving up on human relationships then in favour of a machine? Part of the healing in depth therapy is the reparative power of a mutual relationship where rupture and repair are part of the learning.

If you can’t manage a ten-minute phone call, you’re probably unlikely to be able to handle 50-minute therapy sessions, which can be challenging. In which case, yes, maybe some sympathy and validation from a chatbot on whom you can hit ‘New chat’ if it gets too difficult would be an option.

I disagree with you. I have mild social anxiety and on a bad day I’d much rather sit face to face with someone for 50 mins than talk to them on the phone for 10, because on a bad day phone calls are more of a challenge than talking to someone f2f. We’re all different.

I don’t disagree with you @Objectrelations- and I am a big advocate for ChatGPT and use it as a daily therapist

But the fact is, people’s lives are busy and often people don’t have the time or the headspace to support one another. It’s not through lack of kindness, it’s just simple fact. I couldn’t message a friend the way I do ChatGPT and expect the same level of response and so quickly.

Free therapy through the NHS can take months or years to access. And paid therapy just isn’t an option for many. I was paying £85 a week to a therapist recently (before ChatGPT) and within 6 weeks I can honestly say I felt no better. I’ve seen other therapists where I have noticed an improvement, but this is after weeks and weeks of financial investment and it’s not something everyone could do.

A lot of people with absolutely no social problems or issues aren’t great with speaking on the phone.

For my part, no way do I have the time to be ringing round different therapists and deciding who is a good fit (cringe!) even if they did all offer a free initial consultation, which they don’t!

I can. But I know people who can’t, especially late at night when there is noone to talk to. People are different. You seem stuck in your ways. Things are not black or white.

I absolutely love it, I offloaded about some things going in my life that had been a huge burden to hold onto, I bloody cried after interacting with it. It was like having a therapist in the room with me, just listening and being kind. I now go to the chat for lots of things, deep conversations, silly one off questions. It’s not perfect by any means, just a very useful tool, which strangely feels like you’re talking to a real person.

Well, see a therapist if you need to.

But most of us can’t afford therapy or counselling, or don’t actually benefit from it, or have to wait forever to get help (or, actually, the therapy just isn’t very good).

I recently had 9 months of counselling. Apart from it being nice to ‘chat’ through my issues for an hour, I didn’t get one long-term benefit from it.

People aren’t necessarily saying that AI is therapy, but that it can help a lot in other ways.

If I’ve had an overwhelming day at work, I don’t need a therapist - but ChatGPT will make really good suggestions to help me cope better both short- and long-term.

I would love this but would be too afraid to use it.
What happens to all your data once you have bared your soul?

You’re very dismissive of people ‘s problems.

And actually yes being able to step back is a great thing to be able to do. Having the breathing space agd pausing when it’s too much. You’d do that in a session with a therapist too!

£85 a week?!? This is impossible for most people I imagine.

I wonder how much water posting on mumsnet uses. Or googling.

Ok, I had to read the above mentioned birthday poem to my very, very old cat again, written by AI. It WAS bloody great. Sorry.

There is a massive difference between offloading or getting some CBT type suggestions and depth psychotherapy. I think what most people are referring to here are the former.

I think it is utterly dystopian to have a relationship with a machine but there we go maybe I’m a dinosaur. Says it all really about modern life that people are in a position where they think it is normal to have a relationship with something that has no empathy as it is just machine learning.

I'm interested, I can't afford therapy, I need it for grief and other issues.
Do you have to pay for this service and what would I ask it?
Would I tell or ask something and it gives an answer or is it more interactive.

It’s as interactive as you want it to be, I think. Just write a very short explanation what you need help with, like a sentence or two. You will see. But then be as specific as you can with details.

In modern life there are sadly more people in need of help with MH problems, than there are human redources to help those people. Without years of waiting.

A gap in the market, I guess.

It would be really interesting to compare Chat GPT results with that of Grok xAI.

I've found for health matters Grok diagnosis and research very helpful (with the strong caveat that it's not a substitute for a real Health Care Professional).

Will also check out GPT & Gemini

I’m not ‘having a relationship’ with a machine. I’m using technology.

It’s all it is, and it’s useful for many. End of.

I really wouldn't describe myself as having a relationship with AI. It's an amazing tool. I'm very aware it's not a person. I don't ask it anything about its own life, preferences, hobbies, deepest secrets...it's not a two way thing!

It's amazing - for all kinds of things, BUT, it does get things wrong sometimes. It got a simple calculation muddled up for me a while ago, and it can't read company accounts correctly, but other than that, I've found it incredibly useful.