Therapy by AI gains popularity, but therapists remain skeptical

Users say AI apps lack human emotions

By Siddhi Chauhan

Post-Covid, the Web is flooded with artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot apps that claim to help users with stress and depression. While some say they are helpful, others are sceptical.

According to data from World Mental Health Atlas 2014, India has an average of 0.2 psychiatrists per lakh people. A study published in 2019 states that it will take 42 years for the country to have the required number of psychiatrists.

Himanshi Solanki, a student who has used similar apps, informed The Observer: “These apps are easily available for users. They don’t have to take appointments, and most of the apps are free. They allow you to be anonymous.” This could be the reason why AI is expected to flourish in the coming years. People are trying to incorporate AI in various realms especially after ChatGPT gained popularity in India.

There are apps like Wysa that aim to provide mental health support to those in need with the help of chatbots.

Taru Dixit, a 23-year-old, turned to a similar app named ‘We Hear You’ to cope with stress. The app provides features that let the user vent her/ his feelings in the chatbot.

About her experience with the app, Dixit said: “There is a lot of difference between getting treatment from a psychologist and sharing your problems with chatbots. AI is limited, no matter how much information you feed into it. It cannot understand human emotions. Human emotions are missing in these apps. As a result, you find yourself cribbing and the bot providing you with irrelevant solutions. If you go to a psychologist, she/he will analyse your emotions and behaviour, but that is not the case with these apps. These apps act as an initial aid which shouldn’t be relied upon in case someone has a serious problem.”

Asked about the popularity of these apps, she said: “In India, mental health is still considered a taboo. Our generation is aware, but the parents of many of us might not consider it something that is important. Apart from that, seeing a psychologist is not something that everyone can’t afford. As a result, many people turn to these apps. Many people don’t know that therapists offer pro bono services.”

Wonders of world

The Observer went through the feedback given by the users of AI chatbot mental health apps including Wysa. A majority of users said that these apps incorporate meditation and journaling which are helpful. However, they complained about the absence of emotions. It made them think that it was a one-way communication.

To learn whether meditation (as suggested by these apps) helps an individual, The Observer spoke with Somya Kishore, a mental health therapist.

“People who are looking for spirituality have to focus on their soul. But here, in these apps, they are trying to use meditation as medication. Depression means that you are unhappy. Instead of inculcating the habit of meditation, these apps are diverting the user’s attention and making them feel that ‘all is well’.” siddhi.c@iijnm.org

“Everyone has different reasons to be depressed. Some might be dealing with grief, while some might feel insecure about their career. Unless and until you are familiar with the person’s childhood history and their upbringing, you cannot provide treatment. If there is an app that does that, then it can be safe to use. There is a possibility that people might lie to the bot,” she added.

Read the full story on www.theweeklyobserver.in