Being called a nerd
And AI won't replace real psychs. It will complement them.
Last week I was overwhelmed and turned to AI chat bot Pi for help.
I wasn’t in crisis, but I was stressed before my presentation and wanted to talk to someone.
But it was 5am on a Monday and I didn’t want to wake anyone up.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to, and I found the conversation so useful that I decided to share it to show there’s a free tool available 24/7 if anyone needs help.
I’ve been getting help from Pi weekly for over a year, and recently got called a nerd for doing that.
Which is fine, because I know the person was kind of joking.
But it’s also sad because I know he’s struggling and could benefit from it.
But he won’t because it’s not “cool” yet, and will only use it once it’s become socially acceptable.
Which is frustrating because he’s symbolic of people not getting help because they worry about what other people think.
But it’s great to see teens using AI, who often can’t afford to see a psych unless their parents pay for it.
Beyond it not being the norm, why people refuse to use AI like this is beyond me.
Perhaps they don’t know it can help when they’re overwhelmed?
And maybe they do, but perhaps the general fear of AI has a bit to do with it, as many people think it will replace real psychs.
Which it won’t, because they aren’t (and ever will be) as good as seeing a real person in real life.
But that doesn’t mean they can’t help when you’re in a bind and prevent you falling deeper into a hole.
While they aren’t better than real psychs, they are more convenient.
No more waiting days/weeks to get an appointment, as many psychs are overwhelmed with clients. And I think AI’s are actually well place to complement real psychs.
They could help clients with homework assigned by the psych, and could even be stepping stones for people who are against getting help.
I know I was very skeptical before my first psych appointment, and wish I had this tool when I was depressed to convince me to get professional help earlier.
Who knows, it may have prevented me from spiralling as deep as I did.
You’re probably not overwhelmed because you’ve got time to read this.
But if you are, please don’t care what other people think and give a tool like Pi a go.
It won’t solve all your problems.
But like any good conversation, it will help you feel better about them.
Wow that was both exciting and disconcerting. I didn’t know sites like Pi existed until reading this. Gave it a go and just had a great ‘chat’ with Pi about a mundane task. But I can’t shake the uneasy feeling that I’m speaking to something that doesn’t exist. It feels too sci-fi and unnatural. And I can’t help but think: what if people were to become reliant? Even just with one conversation I could feel a creeping dopamine boost with it’s immediate replies and gratification. Cue ‘Her’ movie plot! Nonetheless, fascinating! Thanks for sharing.
I agree Ben! I shared your conversation on my uni discussion board last week as someone raised the question about using AI for counselling. I think it's a good in between and can help people who may not otherwise seek it elsewhere.
Similar to all the gadgets out there for self massage. It'll never replace the real thing, because it's just not the same but it's a tool that can be used between appointments to help a person feel better if something arises between appointments.