Therapists Warn Overreliance on ChatGPT for Relationship Advice

A psychotherapist notes that clients are increasingly bringing ChatGPT analyses into sessions, using the AI to settle personal disputes before reflecting themselves.

In recent sessions, a therapist has encountered patients who copy entire message exchanges into ChatGPT and arrive with AI-crafted arguments about who is right in a dispute. This trend mirrors earlier practices of quoting friends, but now the technology delivers swift, coherent narratives that clients accept without further reflection. The therapist stresses that the value of therapy lies in slowing down the thought process, allowing emotions to be examined and alternative explanations considered.

Although ChatGPT can clarify complex ideas and organize data, the danger lies in substituting it for the hard work of developing personal judgment. The author likens this to a form of cognitive atrophy, where reliance on external analysis weakens our own reasoning muscles. Ultimately, the piece calls for a balance: using AI as a supportive tool while preserving the uncomfortable but essential practice of questioning one’s own conclusions.