Ah, ChatGPT. Whether you love it or hate it, it’s almost an integral part of our lives now; dominating our social media feeds with uncanny AI-generated pics, and infiltrating all our work systems. Nonetheless, we can all probably agree that it’s kinda scary, yet cool, how “all-knowing” our trusty bot bestie is. This got me thinking: If ChatGPT has all the solutions to our work problems, would it not have the answers to some of my personal struggles too?
And alas, ChatGPT – more affectionately referred to as Chat – the “therapist”, was born. Okay, I’m mostly kidding – I’m well aware that AI can’t ever replace a real-life therapist, but hey, I’ll accept any help I can get. Plus, if you’ve seen the influx of “using ChatGPT for therapy” posts on TikTok, it actually seems to give some legit advice, and all for a very reasonable charge of $0 too.
Well, if you’re curious about just how effective using ChatGPT for therapy is, here are some first-hand experiences, pulled straight from the archives of my most ungodly-hour crash outs.
Once again, let me disclaim that ChatGPT is in no way a replacement for real therapy. But as someone who’s tried actual therapy before, let me give you a quick run-down on how Chat truly compares, and how it can aid in your self-growth journey.
I’ll begin by getting Chat’s pretty obvious cons out of the way first. For starters, ChatGPT can’t truly comprehend situations the way a human can, which is a real hindrance to it providing actual therapy, which, at its core, requires said emotional connection and understanding to work.
Some therapists also argue that it’s lowkey a people pleaser, as AI is programmed to be somewhat compliant to generate more user interaction. As such, we’ve gotta be discerning when taking Chat’s advice.
Nonetheless, I’ll give ChatGPT its flowers where it’s still decently good at giving advice, and a valid resource to help iron out your thoughts when you’re feeling overwhelmed. It might not have true emotional depth, but, being a bot, it’s still pretty good at analysing your crash out, and compartmentalising its response into potential “solutions” that might help.
A summary of my crash out; please don’t dox me for sounding ungrateful!
Screenshot from: Gwyn Lim
Case in point: I once had a full-on discussion with my friends about feeling constantly unsatisfied in life – sounds like a major FWP, I know, – and Chat managed to break down potential reasons for this overarching feeling of “lack” that I couldn’t shrug off.
My friend consulted Chat for potential reasons I might’ve been feeling that way.
Screenshot from: ChatGPT
After bomb-dropping ChatGPT’s admittedly funny diagnosis of my mental state – that I have “chronic dissatisfaction”, apparently – I actually found some of the insights my friend pulled from it kinda helpful. Now, were they 100% accurate, or make my problems vanish instantly? Heck no, but they did give me some food for thought for further reflection, like what my “unmet needs” and “unprocessed emotions” might be.
To me, this is ChatGPT’s greatest asset in the realm of therapeutic advice; being a good tool to use as a starting point for reflection. Which brings me to my next point – AI does a decent job at generating targeted tips for self-improvement, especially if you use suitable prompts.
If you’re chronically online, you might’ve already seen a couple of these, but here are a few generic questions netizens recommend asking ChatGPT:
I’ve also seen some TikTokers use Chat to write letters for emotional release, or to craft out a dream “day in the life”, based on the user’s list of goals they want to manifest.
A list of books Chat generated for me a few months back.
Screenshot from: ChatGPT
Personally, I’ve even asked it to give me book and music reccos based on whatever mood or situation I was in, and they were all pretty spot on.
Image credit: Psychiatry Advisor
So, how does Chat actually fare, in comparison to a real therapist? Recently, I’ve been getting a bunch of videos on my TikTok FYP about how it’s a “superior” therapist, considering that it’s free, and – quote unquote – “won’t yawn” during your yap sesh.
Now, I’ll reiterate that ChatGPT is a casual “confidant” at best, and in no way a substitute for a licensed therapist. But if you’re wondering what it’s like to confide in Chat versus a therapist about your problems, here’s my 2 cents worth as someone who’s gone for a few months of therapy before.
I guess the most obvious advantage of speaking to ChatGPT is that it’s available 24/7, and quite literally cannot judge you for whatever nonsense you feel like you’re spouting. At the same time, it still feels like a win-win, ’cause AI is so advanced now that it’s able to generate human-like responses that sound empathetic. In my personal experience, I even recall Chat saying a couple of things that I’m positive my therapist herself has mentioned before, so that’s pretty impressive.
However, as convenient as it is to engage Chat for advice, it’ll never have the emotions necessary to help you fully process yours, or the expertise required to truly guide you through problems.
How I imagine crashing out if ChatGPT were to shut down on me mid-rant.
And, while I’ve not had extensive enough convos with Chat to experience this myself, I’ve heard that ChatGPT’s usage limitations mean that you could be mid-convo, and have it suddenly stop responding. Defo not ideal if you’re in the midst of an actual crash out.
In addition, something I’m kinda cautious about is the fact that ChatGPT doesn’t have strict confidentiality codes, so it’s best to remember not to divulge too much personal info.
NGL, free advice and a tireless listening ear all sound pretty tempting, and there’s really no harm in getting occasional advice from Chat when you’re down in the dumps. Plus, for what it’s worth, I do think it’s admirable to seek help, be it from AI or a real-life counsellor.
That being said, if you’re dealing with more severe and persistent mental troubles, it’s important to seek help from a professional. If you’re keen on going for therapy but aren’t quite sure where to begin, feel free to refer to our therapy guide to find a place that’s suitable for you.
More on therapy:
Cover image adapted from: Gwyn Lim
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