Can the “virtual psychologist” replace humans to confide (and treat) their discomfort?

in collaboration with

Amélie Boukhobza (Clinical psychologist)

Have you been feeling down for several weeks? Magic of AI, as in almost all areas, a solution is available to you from your smartphone or computer screen. Because yes, even in the field of mental health applications are flourishing, and promise, thanks to artificial intelligence, to provide you with a personalized response.

The simplicity of a psychologist assistant in your pocket

Thus, hundreds of therapy applications, such as Wysa or Youper, are now available in the App Store or Google Store and downloads are being snapped up by the millions, as noted by the magazine l’ADN. The solution seems to be within reach, or just a click away: simply download the app of your choice, then select the reason for your discomfort (depression, work, love, etc.) to have access to a chat with a “bot ” responsible for listening to you and cheering you up. Fast and discreet support, which you can consult whenever you want.

A use which has its reasons for existing today

Although confiding in a chatbot may seem inconsistent, their appearance is not surprising in the current context. So, while the mental health of young people continues to deteriorate according to the latest mental health barometer published in February, it can be complicated to obtain a quick appointment and follow-up with a therapist. The use of AI, accessible 24/7, aims to fill this gap. Without forgetting the free side, in competition with the 70 euros on average spent during a session with a psychiatrist, despite the devices which allow reimbursement.

This is not its only advantage: for many, engaging with a bot is also less impressive than doing it in front of a therapist, so speech would be freer. What a user confirms, in the pages of The Guardian. “With AI, I feel like I’m speaking in a true non-judgmental zone. I can cry without feeling the stigma of crying in front of someone.” Furthermore, according to a study, 90% of patients lie at least once to their practitioner, particularly about the presence ofsuicidal thoughts.

But the risk of insufficient or inappropriate advice exists

It may be easier and more discreet to confide in a bot. But what about the advice received? On this point, opinions differ and the examples are not always convincing. Thus, the magazineDNA relates the experience of Christa, 32, suffering from anxiety, who created a tailor-made therapist on character.ai, whom she hopes is “caring, supportive and intelligent”. If the bot initially whispers encouraging responses like “you’ll get there”, it then becomes more critical and suggests that her boyfriend doesn’t love her enough, based on compiled SMS exchanges. Hurt, the young woman decided to delete the app, but with what benefit in the end?

A solution that does not offer the empathy or understanding of a psychologist

For Amélie Boukhobza, clinical psychologist and member of our committee of experts to whom we submitted these examples, the arrival of these intelligences in the field of mental well-being is not a bad signal. But cannot replace the support offered by an experienced psychologist.

According to her, there is also a risk of deviation in this option, which must be emphasized when we talk about getting naked: “What about data privacy and security? What is the capacity of AI applications to manage complex cases or acute crises? Is there not a limit and a danger there? What about the transfer to the therapist on which the entire foundation of therapy rests?”…

An option in mild stress situations

However, it is not a question of demonizing a tool which is gaining momentum today in medicine. But to look at it with a lucid eye, for what it is.