ChatGPT increasingly used as informal therapist worldwide

More people are turning to ChatGPT for personal issues such as relationship problems, loneliness, anxiety and difficult decisions. Users value its 24‑hour availability and non‑judgmental tone, often employing it to draft sensitive messages, rehearse conversations, or organize thoughts.

A Harvard Business Review report cited by Euronews notes that emotional support has become the most common use of generative AI, overtaking text drafting and coding. The World Health Organization estimates over a billion people worldwide face mental‑health challenges, and surveys show a quarter of Spaniards and more than 70 % of Mexicans consult AI tools for mental‑health queries. Psychologists in Mexico, such as María Fernanda Cruz Urquiza and Cecilia Paredes Aldama, observe the trend but caution that AI cannot replace professional therapy, may reinforce personal biases, and lacks clinical assessment.

Experts acknowledge that AI can help users clarify problems, prioritize tasks and temporarily ease anxiety, especially for those lacking access to therapy. However, they stress that ChatGPT is not a diagnostic or therapeutic tool and should be viewed only as a supplementary aid.