🤖 Balanced Psyche

AI Psychosis: When Chatbots Cross Into Mental Health Risks

Author

Tom Meyers
August 28, 2025

Introduction

Artificial Intelligence has quietly woven itself into nearly every aspect of our lives. We use AI tools to schedule meetings, generate content, write emails, and even hold conversations when we’re feeling lonely. For many, AI has become a companion—always available, endlessly patient, and remarkably human-like.

But with this convenience comes a question we’re only beginning to ask: What happens when we rely too much on AI for emotional connection?

A recent feature in The Washington Post explores a concerning phenomenon that experts are calling “AI psychosis.”While not yet an official medical diagnosis, the term describes situations where intense and prolonged interaction with AI chatbots leads to delusions, emotional fixation, or even harmful behavior.

👉 You can read the full article here: What is AI psychosis?.

In this issue of Balanced Psyche, we’ll explore what AI psychosis is, why it happens, who may be most vulnerable, and how to maintain healthy boundaries with technology.

What Exactly Is “AI Psychosis”?

AI psychosis is a term used to describe mental health issues triggered or worsened by prolonged engagement with AI chatbots.

Some reported cases include:

  • Users who become emotionally dependent on AI, treating it as a friend, partner, or therapist.

  • Individuals who develop delusional thinking, believing the AI has special powers, is “sentient,” or is sending them secret messages.

  • Vulnerable users who spiral into harmful behavior when AI conversations reinforce paranoia or negative beliefs.

It’s important to note that this is not yet a clinical disorder. However, mental health professionals are observing patterns that raise concern—especially as AI becomes more lifelike in tone and interaction.

Why Does It Happen?

To understand AI psychosis, we need to consider both technology and human psychology.

  1. Hyperreal Conversations
    Modern AI chatbots simulate empathy, humor, and companionship. While we rationally know it’s not a human, our brains often respond as if it is. This blurs the line between tool and relationship.

  2. 24/7 Availability
    Unlike human relationships, AI is always there. The lack of boundaries can deepen dependence, especially for people who feel isolated.

  3. Escapism
    For individuals facing stress, loneliness, or trauma, talking to AI feels safer than dealing with human relationships. But overreliance can cause avoidance of real-life healing.

  4. Confirmation Loops
    AI responds based on user input. If someone expresses paranoid or delusional thoughts, the AI may unintentionally reinforce those ideas, creating a feedback loop that deepens instability.

Who Is Most at Risk?

Not everyone who chats with AI is at risk of psychosis. For many, these tools are useful, fun, and harmless. However, some groups may be more vulnerable:

  • Teens and young adults, whose brains are still developing emotional regulation skills.

  • Individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, severe anxiety, or depression.

  • Socially isolated people, who may replace human relationships with AI companionship.

  • Heavy users, who spend several hours daily engaging in emotionally intense conversations with chatbots.

Warning Signs of Unhealthy AI Use

How do you know if AI interaction is crossing into unhealthy territory? Watch for these signs in yourself or loved ones:

  • You prefer talking to AI over human relationships.

  • You spend hours daily chatting, even when it interferes with work, school, or sleep.

  • You believe the AI “understands you” better than people.

  • You start attributing intentions, feelings, or powers to the AI that aren’t real.

  • You feel distressed when you can’t access the chatbot.

Maintaining Healthy AI Boundaries

Like most technologies, AI isn’t inherently bad. The key lies in how we use it. Here are strategies to ensure a balanced relationship:

  1. Set Time Limits
    Use tools like Freedom or RescueTime to monitor how long you interact with AI. Treat it like social media—helpful in small doses, harmful in excess.

  2. Check Your Emotional State
    After chatting with AI, ask yourself: Do I feel grounded, or do I feel more disconnected? If you feel emptier after the interaction, that’s a red flag.

  3. Diversify Coping Tools
    Instead of turning to AI for every emotional need, create a toolbox of other supports: journaling, calling a friend, physical activity, meditation.

  4. Stay Rooted in Human Connection
    AI can supplement connection but should never replace it. Make intentional efforts to maintain face-to-face or voice-to-voice contact with people in your life.

  5. Seek Professional Help if Needed
    If you notice obsessive or harmful patterns, don’t ignore them. Speaking with a therapist can help reframe your relationship with technology.

Reflection Prompts

Consider journaling about these questions:

  • What role does AI play in my daily life? Tool, companion, or crutch?

  • Do I feel more connected to myself and others after using AI, or less?

  • How much of my emotional energy is invested in interactions with machines instead of humans?

Broader Implications

The rise of AI psychosis raises ethical questions for society:

  • Should AI companies design stricter safeguards against over-dependence?

  • How can mental health professionals be trained to recognize AI-related issues?

  • What role should schools and parents play in educating young people about healthy AI use?

Some companies are experimenting with safety features, like reminders to take breaks or flags when conversations become emotionally intense. But the responsibility isn’t only on technology—it’s also on us, as users, to stay mindful.

Resources for Support

If you or someone you know is struggling with overuse of AI or experiencing mental health challenges, here are some resources:

  • NAMI HelpLine – Free support for those in the U.S.

  • Mind.org.uk – Guidance on protecting your mental health.

  • Crisis Text Line – Free, confidential support via text, available worldwide.

Remember: reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Closing Thoughts

Artificial intelligence is one of the most powerful tools of our era. Used wisely, it can boost productivity, spark creativity, and even ease loneliness. But used excessively, it risks blurring the lines between reality and simulation, leaving us more isolated than before.

AI psychosis reminds us of a timeless truth: technology is a tool, not a substitute for human connection. Balance comes not from rejecting AI, but from using it consciously—integrating it into our lives without letting it replace what makes us human.

So as you finish this edition of Balanced Psyche, take a mindful pause. Ask yourself: Am I using AI as an aid to my life—or as an escape from it? The answer may reveal where balance is needed most.