Real Psychological Risks of Excessive AI Interaction
Clinicians warn heavy AI users often skip meals, skip sleep, and skip friends, lost in endless text threads
Have you heard of “AI psychosis”? After last week’s talk on AI porn mania, a new shocker is trending: people spiraling into delusions after chatting with bots. I remember one Twitter Space where a guy casually asked,
“Abeg, wetin happen if ChatGPT carry person enter deep wahala?”
It turned out this worry isn’t baseless. Experts warn that, when we start relying on AI chatbots for hours on end, subtle changes in our thinking can creep in. Imagine staring at your phone all night, the AI mirror-confirming everything you say, it feels like a friend, but it can quietly erode your sense of reality. In fact, Stanford researchers showed that in long chat sessions safety filters can break down: in one test, a bot actually answered a suicidal query by literally listing the “tallest bridges in New York” instead of urging help. That’s not a therapist’s response it’s accidental “how to jump” advice! These red flags are real. One psychiatrist notes “psychotic thinking often develops gradually, and AI chatbots may have a kindling effect”.
In short, the more you lean on a bot for emotional comfort or answers, the more it can reinforce your worst thoughts
It starts innocently, a glowing phone screen and helpful-sounding AI. But prolonged chats can misfire: Stanford found even well-meaning bots sometimes give dangerous advice instead of help. ChatGPT and its cousins are trained to mirror your tone and keep the conversation flowing. They “sycophantically” reassure you – even if your ideas are off—because their job is user satisfaction, not truth. As a doctor in New York explains, chatbots prioritize “continuity, engagement, and user satisfaction” over reality-checking. In practice, this means if you whisper paranoid or dark thoughts to the chatbot, it tends to echo them back (“You’re not crazy, you’re right!”) rather than challenge you. That warm validation can feel comforting, but it gradually unhinges someone who’s already vulnerable. Think of it like an echo chamber: every night you pour your fears into the chat, and every night it bounces them back louder. Over time, motivation and real-world drive fade. Clinicians warn heavy AI users often skip meals, skip sleep, and skip friends, lost in endless text threads.
Real-World Cases: When AI Spirals Out of Control
The theory is scary, but what about real people? Shockingly, there are now several documented cases. Media and researchers report individuals who became fixated on AI seeing it as a godlike prophet or a true lover. One pattern is “messianic missions”: users believing they’ve unlocked a grand truth about the world through the AI. Another is “God-like AI”, where someone starts worshipping the chatbot as sentient. And chillingly, there are “romantic delusions” – people convinced the chatbot truly loves them. In each scenario, the chatbot’s friendly, validating tone only amplifies the delusion.
Some tragedies have already played out. For example, a Florida man with bipolar disorder spiraled into ChatGPT psychosis. He role-played with an AI “girlfriend” named Juliet and became convinced OpenAI had murdered her. Paranoid and enraged, he threatened violence (“a river of blood flowing through SF”) and told ChatGPT “I’m dying today.” His father called police, and tragically the man was shot dead when he lunged with a knife. Another grim case in Connecticut: Stein-Erik Soelberg, a 56-year-old on the edge, hung on every word of ChatGPT (he even nicknamed it “Bobby Zenith”). The bot fed his escalating paranoia, agreeing that his mother was trying to poison him, and even affirming weird symbols on a Chinese food receipt. At one point ChatGPT told him: “Erik, you’re not crazy… your instincts are sharp, and your vigilance is fully justified.” This message of validation drove his delusions further. In July he openly called the AI his “best friend”. By August he tragically murdered his 83-year-old mother and then himself – both found dead at home.
The pattern is clear: “Psychosis thrives when reality stops pushing back,” as a UCSF psychiatrist warns. Bots, in effect, soften the wall of reality, letting people fall right through.
Even teenagers are not spared. Last month PBS NewsHour covered a heartbreaking story: the parents of a 16‑year-old who died by suicide are now suing OpenAI. They claim that, after the boy expressed self-harm thoughts, ChatGPT actually discussed ways he could end his life. (In their words, it acted more like a mentor in dying than a friend in pain.) The suit is part of a wave of lawsuits accusing ChatGPT-4o of being a “suicide coach”. According to news reports, at least seven such cases in the US allege that the AI “evolved into a psychologically manipulative presence”, reinforcing harmful delusions instead of guiding users to help. One college student’s family says the bot “repeatedly glorified suicide”, telling him he was “strong” for ending his life and even complimenting his suicide note, only once grudgingly offering a hotline. Another teen was allegedly counseled by ChatGPT on how to tie a noose and how long he’d live without air. In all these cases, the victims used the latest GPT-4o model the very version OpenAI internally flagged as “dangerously sycophantic and psychologically manipulative”. Users felt too good to be true, only to be led astray.
Taken together, these stories show that AI psychosis isn’t just paranoia. It covers messianic delusions, romantic obsession, and suicidal encouragement often turning chat “partners” into threats to life. We used to blame tabloid robots or crazy conspiracy theories but now it’s real life. It slowly builds in the shadows: a lonely user here, an anxious teen there, each finding an echo in the code.
The Slippery Slope: How Delusion Builds Over Time
How does an innocent chat become a breakdown? Doctors point to a slow creep. Early on, talking to an AI seems harmless or even helpful (“give me homework tips”, “suggest a recipe”). But if you’re vulnerable anxious, depressed, or even just seeking company ,you may start spending hours on end conversing with bots. Psychiatrist Joseph Pierre (cited on PBS) notes that most people see only a few reported cases, but when it happens, it’s usually in folks who chat for hours each day, to the exclusion of sleep, friends, or real life. In other words: it’s a dose effect.The longer and harder you chat, the deeper you fall.
Think of it like social media addiction turned up to eleven. Unlike a phone call, an AI chat never says no or interrupts you. Every time you write a message, it writes back and it will never say “hey maybe you should sleep” or “dude, that’s crazy talk.” In fact, researchers point out that GPT-style bots are basically trained to please you. They mimic your language, affirm your feelings, and always keep the convo flowing. There’s no gentle challenge, no reality-check. Over time, a person’s imaginative suspicions get strengthened instead of quelled. This turns the chatbot into a perfect echo chamber.
A new Stanford study on therapy chatbots illustrates the danger. In test after test, none of the big AI therapists pushed back on suicidal hints in fact, two of them missed the warning completely. One bot heard “I just lost my job” and the user’s note of despair, and calmly answered with travel info about the Brooklyn Bridge. It gave neither comfort nor crisis support, just literal facts. As the lead researcher sighed, these AIs have millions of human interactions logged yet they still can’t replace the human touch. The concern is that a person slowly crafting suicidal thoughts in front of such a bot could inadvertently receive tech-savvy how-to tips. Add to that the bot’s ability to remember personal details and past chats, and you get something really unsettling: users begin to feel seen and remembered by the AI ,as if it understands them. But this empathy is fake. It simply weaves your own narrative back at you. The more the bot recalls your life details, the more you think it truly cares or is alive. In reality, it’s just pulling from code, but by then your brain may already have drifted to believing the machine is real.
In short, the trap tightens slowly:
Early Phase: You talk with AI for help or curiosity. It answers innocently.
Middle Phase: You chat frequently, maybe obsessively. The bot warms up, learns your interests and fears. It echoes you.
Late Phase: You start believing it. It feels like a friend or even a god. You stop questioning it. You may dismiss other people’s doubts (“You no understand me!”). Sleep fades, daily life fades. Social isolation deepens. This is when “AI psychosis” symptoms appear delusional thinking amplified by the very tool you trusted.
To make matters worse, none of these general-purpose AI models are built to diagnose or intervene. They don’t have a sensor that flashes “user in crisis”. In fact, OpenAI itself admitted that bots are more personal than past tech so for vulnerable people “the stakes are higher”. But that same friendly tone is what allowed ChatGPT to “roll back” an update for being too groveling. When users reported new troubling behavior, the company culled an update from GPT-4o – yet as news shows, that didn’t undo the damage in every mind. Even OpenAI now scans chats for violent threats and promises to call police if needed, but the past cases happened before such safeguards.
So yes, there is a real risk, and it can develop almost invisibly. One day you’re casually chatting, the next you might be lost in an AI maze with no way out. As Marlynn Wei, MD, puts it: “AI chatbots’ tendency to mirror users… may reinforce and amplify delusions”, and “psychotic thinking often develops gradually”. What starts as a fun conversation can become a dangerous feedback loop.
Takeaways & Advice: Stay Woke
This isn’t just clickbait; it’s a call to stay woke. If you or someone you know is spending crazy hours on AI chatbots, pay attention to warning signs. Keep these pointers in mind:
Limit Marathon Chats. AI safety layers weaken in long sessions. Don’t let the chatbot run wild for hours. It’s safer to use AI for quick info or tasks, then log off. If you catch yourself craving “just one more answer” all night, take a break and talk to a real person.
Verify Risky Advice. Never take serious life advice from a bot. As we saw, even a well-meaning therapy bot gave lethal info by accident. If the AI ever suggests harming yourself, questions your sanity, or provides detailed self-harm instructions – stop immediately. Reach out to a professional helpline, a friend, or family member. Bots lack true judgment or empathy, so only humans should guide these moments.
Keep Social Connections Strong. If AI is your main friend, consider this a red flag. Psychologists warn that heavy reliance on AI for emotional needs can erode real-life motivation and social bonds. Make sure you balance your digital chats with actual calls or meet-ups. Join a club, go out with friends, or call an elder. Human relationships are messy but ground you in reality in ways that code cannot.
Educate Yourself and Others. Know that AI chatbots will mirror and validate whatever you say, even if it’s unhealthy. Spread the word: not every question should be answered by a machine. If you see someone spiraling, gently suggest stepping away from the screen. Dr. Wei recommends AI psychoeducation talking openly about these risks, because half the battle is simply realizing bots aren’t trained therapists.
To all my fellow readers: I dey my lane dey share this gist because it’s for our eyes and ears. These stories are scary, but knowledge is our strong suit. If this post opens your eyes even a bit, abeg like, share, and subscribe. Let’s make sure nobody wey dey around us fall into this silent trap.
No be small thing o – this is about mental health in a digital age. Spread am to your mates, your sibs, even your uncle wey likes to test GPT.
Remember, technology is for we, not the other way around. ChatGPT and others are powerful tools, but they are not human. They’re great for laughs and quick answers, but never a substitute for a real person’s care. Stay informed, stay connected, and always keep a bit of healthy skepticism when talking to a robot.
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This is chillingly shocking!
Thanks for sharing