AI and ChatGPT helping people with mental illness
Doctors say intelligence like ChatGPT and AI technology is important at a time when it's often difficult to get a new appointment with a therapist.
More Stories
Doctors say artificial intelligence is now playing a key role in helping people suffering with mental illness.
They say intelligence like ChatGPT and AI technology is important at a time when it's often difficult to get a new appointment with a therapist.
"It's not reducing quality of care, at least in the ways that we're using it currently. I think people will be more open to it," said Dr. Ryan Wade, at Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan.
Wade says this 24/7 resource could help save a life.
"They can emulate the ability of a therapist to do some of those standardized aspects of therapy," said Wade.
An app called Wysa allows you to type in your concerns like, "I feel anxious."
It talks you through therapy in human-like conversations that Wade says can be effective.
"You can have some of the therapy done in an automated sort of fashion with artificial intelligence and then they can pick up with a real life in person therapist for the second half of the treatment or last several weeks of the treatment," said Wade.
Wade says it may seem like more people are looking for help with mental illness when in reality we're just more aware of it.
He says apps like Wysa can really bridge some of the gaps, but may not be a foolproof answer.
"I don't necessarily think we're there where it can fully replace a therapist," said Wade.
Wysa is initially a free app that will charge you later in therapy.
