ChatGPT is potentially better than therapy

[Givenup2026]

I’ve done therapy before but I’ve also started using ChatGPT for introspection work, and quite frankly I think it’s better than actual therapy.

it focuses my cognitive dissonance in ways that are easy to digest.

The downside is that ChatGPT basically says “you do you boo” when maybe “thought correcting” is needed.

that was my experience today after having a therapist and then ChatGPT back to back, and definitely the latter was more helpful.

Exactly!!

I just thought I’d give a quick update!

So I had another session with my latest therapist and she agreed there was nothing that she could do for me (right now) and agreed that ChatGPT was a decent way to “self-regulate “.

That’s an interesting update. I wonder if you show that you’re a bit closed off for therapy?
If self regulation is what you need right now, then fair enough. I hope you get what you need.

I don’t think so.

So what u told her was that my “issue”had been resolved (like I knew it would), and there was nothing else to talk about that.

then she asked me if anything else was bothering me, and I said “not at all”. And that was the end of it!

Sounds like a very bizarre thing for a therapist to say.

There is no way I’d be relying on a computer programme to help me make sense of anything. Wouldn’t it be better to find a therapist that you feel comfortable talking to - whilst knowing that they are never going to solve things for you, but that they are there to help you find your own solutions or closure etc.

Please don't do this. AI is not 'listening' to you in the same way that a person does. It can't challenge you, consider your body language, tone of voice, or any number of other human variables.

I'm not suggesting that it can't be helpful for someone in your situation, but it certainly isn't an outright substitute for therapy.

I find them all by myself. I don’t find it that hard these days. And talking to the therapist is definitely not the problem, I’m an open book.

It does challenge me, it certainly doesn’t say what I want to hear as others have suggested.

Respectfully, it is responding to your prompts. It does not have a mind. It cannot 'challenge' you.

Respectfully, have you ever tried it?

So if I say I plan to end my life, and it suggests other options and helps with a plan, how is that not challenging me? It categorically tells me that is not the answer despite my insistence.

Yes, I'm all too familiar with Chatgpt as an academic, and have tried it in lots of contexts.

For heaven's sake. It's programmed not to bounce along with suicidal ideation, saying 'Good choice! Want to hear suggestions for suicide methods?'!

I’ve tried it and yes, it does challenge sometimes but the challenges aren’t always right because it doesn’t understand full context, nuances or any other factors.
And it will do that after validating you first which isn’t always good.

Well if you read previous threads in this subject, people would disagree with you. There are often responses stating that AI will encourage those with suicidal thoughts to act on them. Not my experience though.
It’s been life saving for me so far. I’m actually listened to and respected. When my MH diagnosis changed last year, the attitude from staff changed too and I was treated really badly. To be listened to is vital in life.
I requested discharge from the MH team and get far more support from my AI app I use.

I'm really sorry that your experience of a staff change has been difficult, but my point is that you're not being listened to -- there's no one there. I agree that being listened to is vital. That's what is concerning.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree!

No, it's not perfect! But it's always there and available when I need it, and it's free. It helps me immeasurably when I need to quickly get something down and get a sense check, or think something through, or just keep a record of something that's happened. I've asked it to analyse my behaviour, patterns, triggers and attachment style and it's helped me understand myself and my patterns so well. It really has been a game changer

I'm not saying it's never happened. But people posting this on threads are going on rumour and 'something I read somewhere' and not actual experience or evidence. I can't speak for grok because musk is a lunatic but all the mainstream LLM models have safeguards against encouraging suicide.

It also cannot diagnose you, prescribe for you, refer you on or do anything except parrot back information - and that information is incomplete and heavily flawed.

Leaving a GP surgery is a terrible idea.

Being a bit of a devils advocate here… aren’t GPs surgeries known to be terrible at MH?

I mean…. The GP misdiagnosed me with OCD (and PMDD), when again I’m just autistic. I don’t medication and have never needed it.

I’ve read that this is an overall trend (overprescribing antidepressants).

And if PP needs something for a UTI? Investigations for suspected cancer? Antibiotics for an infection? A referral to a surgeon for a hip problem?

Leaving a GP is a terrible decision.

Wouldn’t an out of hours GP be able to help with that?

yeah, they’ll probably have to re-register for the “middle man” services of the GP, but to get the ball rolling I don’t think she’d need one. Especially that UTI scenario.

But those who can, have misdiagnosed me. They refuse to prescribe medication that worked for me. They do not respond to my requests for help. They have ignored information I have provided.

If you’ve had all these years of therapy and are already introspective and understand yourself well, how would any more be of any use anyway? Or for that matter using AI in a ‘therapeutic’ sort of way?

Surely your time and energy would be better spent on actioning things in your life that are not about talking about yourself and whatever you find tough?

Any therapy or any kind is basically only a tool to help you live your actual life in a way that is more comfortable and less painful.