A growing number of therapists report that clients mention AI use during sessions—sometimes casually, sometimes as a primary concern. Some clients describe their AI chatbot as their "other therapist." Others have formed deep emotional attachments to AI companions. For mental health professionals, AI dependency is raising novel questions without established answers.

How AI Dependency Is Coming Up in Therapy

Therapists describe clients bringing up AI in several ways. Some come specifically because they are concerned about their AI use. Others mention it incidentally while discussing anxiety, isolation, or relationship problems. A third group may not mention AI at all, and the extent of their use only emerges over time.

Common patterns therapists describe include disrupted sleep, social withdrawal, emotional attachment to AI entities, declining real-world relationships, and using AI as a substitute for reflection between sessions.

Questions Therapists Are Asking

Therapists are describing several open questions this new area is raising:

  • AI dependency is not yet a formal diagnostic category, so how do existing frameworks apply?
  • What distinguishes AI use that supplements wellbeing from use that replaces healthy functioning?
  • How do pre-existing conditions like depression or anxiety interact with AI use patterns?
  • What does it mean for the therapeutic relationship when a client views AI as a competing or complementary source of support?
  • When is AI use a coping mechanism for underlying issues?

What Some Therapists Are Exploring

Some therapists describe drawing on existing frameworks when working with clients who describe these patterns. Because the area is so new, there is no established consensus. Some report exploring ambivalence with clients about their AI use, while others describe focusing on helping clients reconnect with real-world activities and relationships.

The diversity of approaches reflects how early this conversation is. What works for one client may not work for another, and the field is still learning.

Ethical Questions

AI dependency raises ethical questions that therapists are grappling with. Is advising against all AI chatbot use appropriate? How do you navigate a client who prefers AI support to human therapy? What about clients who use AI for coping between sessions—is that harmful or helpful? These questions lack definitive answers and are part of an ongoing professional conversation.

A Developing Conversation

As AI dependency becomes more common in therapeutic settings, many therapists describe staying informed about AI technologies, understanding design features that promote engagement, and connecting with colleagues who are thinking about these issues. This is a space where the conversation is still very much developing.

Curious about AI dependency patterns? Visit AI Am Addicted for informational resources and a self-reflection tool about AI use.