5 Pros & Cons of Using AI Chatbot As a Therapist

Sherry Turkle (MIT Psychologist and Author) – “We’re looking to AI to cure what only empathy can solve.”

One day a young man of 25 years came to me for counselling. He was going through severe stress, and anxiety and was experiencing bouts of depression. He had a childhood trauma. He was also going through a rough patch in the relationship. As we were discussing certain things, I offered some suggestions as part of the therapy. And pat came the reply from him, “Oh even Chat GPT too suggested the same therapy!” I wondered, “Oh, now is my job at risk? I heard AI is taking away all the jobs, but replacing a therapist is nearly impossible, I felt.”

Well, the point here is whether an AI can replace or should replace a therapist or not. Therapy, and counselling sessions, are expected to happen in person, a one-on-one talk. Therapy and counselling sessions are all about empathy, care in a humanitarian way with a targeted approach and getting desired outcomes. When online consultations came into the limelight, people were skeptical about the desired outcomes. But gradually, people started accepting it.

Here are 5 pros that stand in support of using AI as a therapist.

More convenient

AI comes in handy! The answer to your worries is just a few clicks away! Whether on the laptop or on a smartphone, just set the prompt and pat comes the reply. Hence, people find it more convenient to talk to an AI, than getting help from any mental health professional. This might not sound good but convenience is being voted the highest by many. And here AI wins over.

The time was saved on communion

Getting an appointment and going to the counselor is another big challenge owing to the busy schedules. The time taken for commutation is precious. Reliability is another threat. Hence people mostly like to Take the help of an AI tool rather than seeing a counselor.

The stress of visiting a therapist

Visiting a therapist is still considered a stigma. Taking therapy from a chatbot/ AI breaks this barrier. The stress of visiting someone unknown to discuss one’s problem is quite overwhelming. Utmost confidentiality is another challenge. AI is with you 24×7 just avail it and get the solutions. Therapies are offered by chatbots, hence available for 24×7.

Get help just anywhere

Nothing better than getting help from wherever you are. AI gives you this leverage. Now mental health is in your hands, just at your fingertips. Avail all the solutions for your problems. It is quite reliable people feel it. It offers various therapies too.

AI is hassle-free and cost-effective

Now as the whole scenario is changing, that too when an AI is ready to offer therapy in just a few clicks without shelling out some bucks, makes AI the first choice over a therapist. AI can analyze huge amounts of data and can offer targeted interventions. Unwavering patience is one of the major qualities that a therapist must have, A chatbot has it in abundance as it is not a human.

Is this the future? Well!

Satya Nadella – “AI empowers us to make breakthroughs, but people must always remain at the heart of care.”

Now when we talk about limitations,

Counselling and therapy sessions are all about emotional intelligence, a human connection where a person connects with the therapist and talks his/ her heart out. AI lacks this connection. There are higher chances of being misled due to a lack of cultural knowledge and non- non-humanitarian approach.

This is good though, but it comes with a caution, that it might lack the cultural and emotional connection. What it gives is just an answer to the prompt. AI Cannot replace a doctor, similarly, AI cannot replace a therapist too. One can use it for a better understanding of any situation. But at the end of the day, an AI too will suggest the person to see a psychologist to overcome the issues.

However, all that glitters is not gold! Here are five limitations of using a chatbot instead of a counselor, psychologist, or mental health expert:

5 cons of using AI as a therapist

Lack of Empathy and Emotional Understanding

Chatbots process text and respond based on algorithms, they lack the human ability to empathize, read emotional cues, and provide compassionate support that is crucial in therapeutic settings.

Limited Problem-Solving Abilities

Chatbots provide quite generic responses at times. They have limitations in understanding complex emotions, critical situations, and fine nuances of mental health issues. A human therapist or a mental health professional can adapt, personalize, and navigate complex conversations that require critical thinking and expertise. Real-life experiences and hands-on experiences are a major part of getting help from a human therapist. AI lags in this area.

Privacy and Trust Concerns

Privacy is a myth in this digital, data-driven world. Trust is a quintessential element in counselling, that we develop over a while, especially when we feel connected with a person. And here is a chatbot, not a human, so establishing a human connection is impossible. Trust comes from face-to-face interaction which is missing here. Hence clients may feel uneasy sharing deeply personal information with an automated system.

Inability to Provide Crisis Intervention

We are too dependent on AI nowadays. However, crisis intervention is not something that we can expect from a chatbot or an AI tool. During mental health crises, immediate and trained intervention is essential. Chatbots are not equipped enough to respond to high-risk situations. Humans know what, when, and how to do things when the situation goes out of control. AI is not accomplished with this.

Lack of Therapeutic Depth and Accountability

AI is basically a language model and functions based on the prompts they receive. There is no human emotion or human intelligence that is used. Hence, AI is unable to establish long-term therapeutic relationships. It cannot provide accountability or support progress in a structured manner. A human has in-depth therapeutic knowledge and takes accountability for the situation.

When therapy and technology go hand in hand.

Bill Gates – “The potential of AI is phenomenal, but it’s the human touch that we must safeguard.”

The future of therapy is here. When robots can perform critical surgeries, and can take over humans in many jobs then therapy lies no farther. Yet since therapy and counselling are all about an emotional connection, bonding, empathy, trust, and mutual understanding, this is where an AI misses out on certain points.

Hence using AI to automate the scheduling of appointments, taking notes, tracking progress, assessments, and payments is a good idea. But simply replacing a human is very inhuman!

So, what do you say,

Do you believe AI can truly offer the comfort and understanding that come with a human connection?

Think about it!

Here comes OnlineCounselling4U with a team of psychologists for your help

Going through a rough patch in marriage, a tough time in your personal life or profession, or feeling overwhelmed with stress anxiety, and depression, book an appointment today with the best counsellors at OnlineCounselling4U. Get counselling from the comfort of your home and in your preferred language. We have a huge team of mental health professionals across India, and across borders, who can speak various national and international languages. Call us now to book a session with our experts. Get an online consultation via telecall, video call, mail, or through chat. We assure you of utmost confidentiality & the best care.

Want to talk to Counsellor? – Book a session

Phone for any support. Call us now – +91 9811335150

Mail us now @ info@onlinecounselling4u.com

Follow us on Facebook or Instagram