The mental health landscape is ever evolving. With the rise of technology, the question arises: Can ChatGPT ever replace the role of human counsellors?
Sharing Perspectives: What are your thoughts on the use of AI like ChatGPT in providing mental health support? Do you believe it can offer genuine empathy and understanding comparable to human counselors, or do you think there are unique aspects of human interaction that technology can’t replicate?
Complementary or Competitive?
Can ChatGPT and human counsellors coexist in a complementary manner, each offering unique benefits? Or do you see them as potential competitors in the mental health support landscape? How can we strike a balance between leveraging technology and preserving the irreplaceable human touch in counseling?
Let’s hear your insights! Share your opinions and experiences – we’re here to learn from each other and explore the diverse perspectives within our community.
ooh this is an interesting topic! certainly prompted some thinking from me heh
i think for most people, it’s the words they hear that potentially help them out of the dark places they’re in. and i’m sure AI can be programmed so as to know what words to say, therefore displaying empathy.
the biggest benefit i can think of that AI offers is being a 24/7 available source of support. for people, there are times where we’re not comfortable or just not feeling up to hearing someone’s worries and vents even if we know we should be there. since AI doesn’t have feelings, this issue wouldn’t exist as they wouldn’t feel tired of hearing about one’s issues no matter the timing.
but on the other hand, knowing that AI is programmed to listen and emphatise with you… may not be the best feeling since in a sense they’re doing this because they have to?
Hmmm agree with @tryingtheirbest. Although large language models like chatgpt or even Pi AI can come close to mimicking human interactions, it is difficult for it to fully replicate human connections and relationships.
I do feel that with the right kind of tweaking it can become a good tool to provide more holistic mental care. It can be a good companion between therapy sessions even motivating or even be a tool for self reflection.
Side note Im so happy to be alive to see this unfolding infront of my eyes
I completely agree, I find myself being most reflective in the middle of the night before bedtime and that’s when I usually would like to get some advice. But there are no therapists available at 3am so I rely on some of these apps to get some immediate support. Also I also wouldn’t like to worry my friends at 3am too so I guess I’ll just unload my worries on the AI bot hahaha
And I use Pi AI - it’s really one of the better generative AI apps out there now.
So nice to hear your thoughts, I totally agree too! As a therapist, to be honest, at first when the AI models all started surfacing, I was worried if I would ever go out of job! But knowing that AI models will never be able to replace us human therapists, it’s a comforting and assuring feeling to see that people still appreciate the realness and authenticity of feelings, such as empathy - which is very comforting. People are creatures of feelings! We can “feel felt” - we can sense when someone really feels us and understands us - something that AI can’t do
Glad to hear everyone’s thoughts, keep on sharing and we’ll learn more about each other’s perspective!
Sharing Perspectives: What are your thoughts on the use of AI like ChatGPT in providing mental health support? Do you believe it can offer genuine empathy and understanding comparable to human counselors, or do you think there are unique aspects of human interaction that technology can’t replicate?
Complementary or Competitive?
