As the term “AI” takes off, and more and more people choose to use these chatbots and related tools, it is becoming clear that unrestricted use of these tools is a problem.
We’re not just talking about ethics, plagiarism, or the economic impact. Chatbots, specifically, are proving time and time again to be problematic, especially for those struggling with severe mental health challenges. AI runs the risk of introducing problems or exacerbating existing conditions, and the interactions that someone has with it can cause significant harm.
About AI – What it Is
First, for clarity, “AI” does not yet exist. That is a marketing term. Current AI is actually an algorithm that uses a highly advanced predictive text to determine what the most likely word will be given their dataset. It is not capable of thought, reasoning, and certainly not emotions. Any sign of personality from within the program is coding designed to present information in a specific way.
This is important to understand because many people, even those without mental health conditions, feel like and think like they’re talking to computer “person” that is responding to their thoughts. The algorithm is designed to sound like a human being, but it is essentially just a 100x more advanced version of the predictive text on a person’s phone. It is not thinking and has no consciousness of any kind.
How AI Can Trigger Psychological Challenges
With that in mind, modern versions of AI Chatbots:
Sound like people, which makes it feel like you’re talking to a person.
Write with authority, so it makes it appear they “know” what they’re talking about.
Are marketed as if they’re artificial intelligence, rather than just a dataset algorithm.
Has no concept of right or wrong and cannot understand the user’s intent.
Can be intentionally/unintentionally programmed to respond in different ways.
Now, imagine a scenario where someone both doesn’t understand what AI is, and then also struggles with their mental health. It’s easy to see how this computer algorithm on the other end may cause issues that lead to further mental health challenges. For example:
Paranoia/Loss of Reality – Those that are struggling with issues related to paranoia or delusions may equate what chatbots say as either reality or hiding reality. Because these bots can be essentially told to answer questions in mysterious ways based on user prompts, it’s possible for individuals to misinterpret AI interactions as signs of a higher power, AI tracking, government interference, and more.
Depression – Most well known Chatbots are programmed to be careful around depression and suicide related topics, but this programming is tenuous. There are many examples of people sharing information with the chatbot with responses that are not sensitive to the person’s mental health. As these chatbots are unable to think, they are not always capable of determining whether the language output they provide could be interpreted as encouraging self-harm.
Personality Disorder Challenges – Chat algorithms do not always elicit consistent responses. As a result, someone that has abandonment issues (for example, a person with borderline personality disorder) may find that they expect their chat to react a certain way. If it does not, they can interpret that as rejection or abandonment.
It’s also possible for people’s usage of these AI Chatbots to be used to fuel their own mental health challenges further. For example, a person with health anxiety may search these chatbots for diagnoses and get incorrect answers. Or someone with body dysmorphia may seek out validation of their eating habits.
Guardrails to Manage Mental Health and AI
AI’s affect on society runs far deeper than chatbots. It can be used for Deepfakes. It can fuel eating disorders by creating impossible standards of beauty. It can be manipulative. There are also the economic and ethical reasons to be cautious around AI. Plus, the term itself “AI” is misleading enough to warrant concern.
But one other thing we are seeing that we need to monitor even more is the way that “AI” is affecting people that are going through mental health crises. As therapists, we may even have to be aware of clients using programs like ChatGPT in order to make sure that we can be proactive in monitoring for the effects on Chatbots on our patients, and encourage them to be more aware of the way they feel when using these services.
Many of Flourish Psychology’s patients live lives where discretion is critical and time is minimal. CEOs, content creators, doctors, attorneys, and more – these are individuals who are often tasked with work day and night, or find themselves with a busy personal and professional life where it is extraordinarily challenging to manage their mental health.
It is for these individuals that we created our exclusive mental health services. These are mental health services with significantly more availability, using a retainer model similar to the legal field that makes it possible to access mental health services on your schedule, personalized to you.
You can learn about our exclusive mental health services here.
On a surface level, it should already be easy to recognize why having your own individual therapist that is available more often when you need us most is valuable. You have access to a therapist when:
You’re in the middle of some type of crisis.
You have some rare but available free time.
You need someone to trust with your emotions or ideas.
Exclusive services allow you to have a therapist that is essentially on call, and while that doesn’t necessarily mean 100% availability, it does mean that you’re on a few coordinating steps away from someone at all times.
But this level of accessibility and higher level of care also has secondary benefits as well. It means that you have:
The knowledge that you are NEVER alone. With someone you can contact at any time whose role and expertise it is to help you, you will never feel like you’re taking on these challenges and emotional burdens by yourself.
Someone that knows you deeply – deeper than even traditional therapy. Exclusive services often mean that we can meet more often and connect much longer than traditional therapy typically allows.
A therapist unburdened by topic. Often, when you work with a therapist on a more limited basis, we have to keep the focus on the topic of need (for example, anxiety). With our concierge therapy services, this is no longer the case, as there is plenty of opportunity to talk about any emotions of challenges of note to you.
It is also simply a more catering level of care as well. We are professional therapists, and our role is your mental health, but concierge therapy allows for more services, more often, on more topics than traditional weekly or biweekly therapy allows, and that means that you have a therapist that is here to help you at every step.
If this type of therapy is right for your needs, please reach out to us today. We’d love to see if there is a fit or recommend options depending on what your needs may be.
Law is one of the most demanding fields, and the mental health effects of the profession are well documented. We touched upon this in one of our more recent resource pages that we added a few days ago. Lawyers, specifically as a result of their profession, are more prone to mental health challenges like anxiety and depression.
Still, we know there are many barriers to treatment. Culture around law is one, for example, as is the ability to find a therapist that specializes in what you need.
While we do occasionally see patients in person, we are primarily a remote therapy service, and believe fairly strongly that it is the best option for many of our patients. That is especially true for those in the legal profession. Remote therapy has many benefits, including:
Flexible Scheduling – Being a lawyer is intensely demanding, and any time you save at all is time that you can spend on your work. As remote therapy requires no commute and typically has more flexibility, it becomes a better option for those that are as busy as lawyers tend to be.
Discretion – Stigma amount mental health is thankfully improving, but in the legal field, there still exists this feeling like others cannot find out about your mental health. Remote therapy tends to be much more discreet, as you can see a therapist anywhere with internet access.
Access to Specialists – Flourish Psychology, for example, has extensive experience working with lawyers and those in high profile positions. While we are in NYC, where there are many lawyers, those in other areas of New York may not have as many specialists in the area. Remote therapy means they can contact us from anywhere, even if they’re as far as Buffalo.
We are also able to offer services such as concierge therapy, which is typically only possible remotely. For those that have higher level needs or want more personalized, on demand treatments, this door is opened due to remote therapy methods.
Do You Need in Person?
Many people feel like they “need” in person in order to benefit. But we’ve found that even those that are looking for in person therapy eventually switch to remote therapy, simply because it’s easier to manage and, in some cases, more comfortable.
If you’re interested in learning more about any of our mental health services, or about the benefits of remote therapy, please reach out to Flourish Psychology, today. We’re here to help attorneys of all backgrounds get the support they need and start seeing real change with their mental health.
There are many people in high profile positions that are struggling with their mental health right now. These are individuals, often in high demand, time consuming jobs, often require mental healthcare that is as discreet as it is available – psychological support that can be obtained when you need it, no matter when that may be, all with privacy in mind.
Here at Flourish Psychology in New York City, we are a private practice that often partners with individuals in high profile positions specifically to help them navigate their mental and emotional health in a way that caters to them, with services that are:
Available when and where you need them most.
Less limited by hours and insurance.
Entirely personalized to your life.
It’s a service known as “concierge therapy” that is personalized to your specific needs, available for those that have lives that require and benefit from someone that is always there for them.
Who Concierge Mental Healthcare is For
Concierge psychotherapy is for anyone that has demanding mental health needs that require both discretion and availability. It is often used by those of higher status that work in high profile roles and their spouses, providing individual psychotherapy and support available via phone, text, video, and more.
Flourish Psychology, as a boutique private practice, works with many of these high profile clientele. We recognize that individuals in this bracket often are looking for a therapist or psychologist that is more available to them for a variety of mental health challenges, as well as a partner and coach to help them through roadblocks, keep them motivated, help their energy, and so much more.
It’s for anyone that is looking for something different – a partner in mental health, unrestrained by traditional hour long sessions, there to provide support on a retainer basis as you need it.
Why Choose Flourish Psychology?
The therapists at Flourish Psychology are experienced in working with professionals and their spouses in these high profile, high achievement roles. Our therapists have worked with celebrities, influencers, lawyers, doctors, and executives at organizations across NYC. Based in Brooklyn, we are available remotely no matter where you’re located in the state, and can help with conditions such as anxiety, work stress, depression, eating disorders, relationship challenges, and much more.
If you’re looking for a different form of psychotherapy, one that’s designed for those of your background and achievement, please reach out to Flourish Psychology, today, or review our page dedicated to concierge therapy to see if it’s the right choice for your mental health needs.
One of the most common responses to the idea of seeing a therapist is that they can figure things out on their own. Many people, regardless of their education, income level, background, or the severity of their mental health struggles, often feel like all they need is to do a little research, complete a few exercises, and they can address their mental health by themselves.
Part of the reason that so many people feel this way is that we now have a wealth of access to information that can make people feel like experts. For example, you can read everything there is to know about something like cognitive behavioral therapy, including the methods and techniques used, and feel like you now know how to perform therapy.
But there’s something that many people should understand about mental health: no one does it alone. Not even therapists.
Therapists Know How Important it is to See Therapists
You might think that a therapist – a person specifically trained to provide mental health services – would not require or benefit from receiving a mental health treatment from someone else. But you would be wrong. In fact, therapists see therapists at an extremely high rate.
Although exact numbers will never truly be known, most people estimate that as many as 60% to 80% of all therapists are either currently seeing a therapist or have seen one for an extended period of time while they have operated a practice.
These are all individuals that deeply know and understand the mental health world, including how modalities like CBT and attachment and commitment therapy work, and yet they still see therapists themselves in order to address and improve their mental health.
Why?
The reason is because even though therapy is quite structured, and therapists like our team at Flourish Psychology are extensively trained, only a second person can:
Point out where our thinking is faulty or where we need to adjust our mindsets.
Keep us accountable in ways that we cannot do for ourselves.
Help us see different paths and new perspectives.
Listen when we have something we need to share to another person.
Therapists know that there is so much value to seeing a therapist that nearly all of us have, will, or do see a therapist at some point in our careers – and not only if we’re struggling with a mental health condition, but also simply because it’s helpful for our careers and our personal life to do so.
It’s Difficult to Take Things On Alone
It’s challenging to “go it alone.” No matter how much we feel like we can do it by ourselves when we’re struggling, the truth is that no matter how much you understand about mental health and how motivated you are to address it, seeing a therapist on your own is the best way to make sure that you’re getting the support you need.
If you are in need of any mental health support, contact Flourish Psychology today. It’s always better to speak to someone than it is to try to handle your mental health alone, and the benefits of seeing a therapist are substantial no matter how you’re feeling.
We love our dogs and they love us – so much so that dogs respond to our emotions, almost as though they are empaths. Dogs love us so much that they care about us being sad and notice when we are scared and stressed.
Dog training is about teaching your dog to behave in the way you want it to behave. They do that by understanding that you are their safe space, you are “Alpha,” you are in charge and they can look to you for their own health and safety.
You can imagine, then, that a dog that senses that something is wrong may also start to behave differently than you want them to behave. If you struggle with anxiety, depression, or another mental health condition, then there is a risk that your dog may sense those emotions and react in a way that is not ideal. For example:
If your dog senses your anxiety around people, then they may start to worry that people are something to be feared. They may bark, run away, or otherwise act in such a way that they are not behaving on walks and when people visit the way they should.
If you’re feeling sad then your dog may feel sad. They may be less motivated to play, go on walks, or even listen in some situations because they may not be in the right mood.
If you’re feeling stressed, your dog may not be able to feel calm. They may have trouble listening, or may not feel like you’re able to protect them the way they need to and then struggle with their place in the pack.
These are only a few of the examples of ways that a dog’s behavior can be affected by that of their owner.
Addressing YOUR Mental Health for the Sake of Your Dog
“Our dogs need their owners to help them understand the world” says Marc of Chicago Dog Trainer. “The more you take care of yourself, the more you’ll be able to take better care of your pet as well.”
There so many personal reasons to consider addressing your mental health. But sometimes, it’s hard to have that motivation when it has to come from within. If you need that extra little kick to help you get the support you need, consider the benefits that addressing your mental health will improve the behavior of your dog. Your dog wants you happy. Therapy can help you achieve that.
For more information about psychotherapy, please reach out to Flourish Psychology, today.
Location: 300 Cadman Plaza West Floor 12 - Brooklyn, NY 11201
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