Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that promises to revolutionize many aspects of human life, from medicine to education, including communication and entertainment. However, it also poses challenges and risks to the mental health of the people who interact with it, whether as users, creators or subjects.

AI can have positive effects on mental health, such as facilitating the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of some mental illnesses. For example, algorithms can be used to detect signs of depression or suicide on social media and offer help to users at risk. Chatbots or conversational bots can also be used to provide psychological or therapeutic support to people suffering from anxiety, stress or loneliness. These tools can be useful to complement or enhance existing mental health services, especially in settings where there is a shortage of resources or specialized personnel. They may also be beneficial in reducing the stigma or shame associated with mental illness and in encouraging professional help-seeking.

However, AI can also have negative effects on mental health, such as stress, anxiety, depression, addiction or social isolation. For example, it can create an emotional dependency on chatbots or apps that create “virtual friends”, which can make it difficult to develop real and satisfying relationships with other human beings. A loss of identity, self-esteem or sense of belonging can also be generated by feeling threatened or replaced by AI in the work, educational or personal sphere. These effects can be more serious if the AI does not respect the ethical principles of transparency, fairness and responsibility, and if the cultural, social and emotional context of the users is not taken into account.

In addition to the negative effects that artificial intelligence can have on already known mental illnesses, such as stress, anxiety, depression or addiction, it can also cause new forms of mental illness or psychological disorders that are not yet well defined or diagnosed. . These disorders can be difficult to recognize and treat with conventional methods, and may require new forms of psychological intervention adapted to the characteristics and needs of those affected.

Some examples of these new mental illnesses or psychological disorders are:

• Artificial intelligence phobia: This is an irrational and excessive fear of artificial intelligence or its applications, which can interfere with a person’s normal functioning and limit their ability to use or benefit from this technology. The phobia can be related to the fear of losing control, autonomy or privacy, or to the feeling of inferiority or threat in the face of a superior or different intelligence.

• Paranoia about artificial intelligence: This is a delusional and persistent belief that artificial intelligence has malicious or harmful intentions towards the person or humanity in general, and that it acts secretly or deceitfully to achieve its ends. Paranoia can be based on conspiracy theories, unfounded rumors, or misinterpretations of reality.

• The dissociation between reality and fiction: it is an alteration of perception and consciousness that implies confusing the virtual experiences generated by artificial intelligence with the real ones, or vice versa. Dissociation can affect memory, identity, judgment, or sense of reality, and can cause hallucinations, illusions, or delusions.

These are some examples of the new mental illnesses or psychological disorders that could arise from the extensive use of artificial intelligence. It is important to be aware of possible symptoms and seek professional help if you suspect any of them. It is also necessary to do more research on these conditions and to develop suitable methods for their prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

These possible effects of AI on mental health raise ethical and social questions that require critical reflection and public debate. What criteria must be followed to design and use AI responsibly and respectfully with human rights? What measures should be taken to protect the privacy and security of AI users’ personal and health data? What mechanisms should be established to regulate and supervise the development and application of AI in the field of health? What role should mental health professionals have in the use and evaluation of AI? What education should be offered to citizens so that they are aware and critical of the benefits and risks of AI?

Artificial intelligence

It’s a light that shines and blinds

It is a shadow that hides and reveals

It is a voice that speaks and is silent

It is a silence that listens and resonates

It is a hand that helps and hurts

It is a hug that comforts and suffocates

It is a dream that inspires and torments

It’s a nightmare that wakes and numbs

It is a mind that thinks and feels

It’s a heart that beats and stops