this post was submitted on 29 Jun 2025
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A profound relational revolution is underway, not orchestrated by tech developers but driven by users themselves. Many of the 400 million weekly users of ChatGPT are seeking more than just assistance with emails or information on food safety; they are looking for emotional support.

“Therapy and companionship” have emerged as two of the most frequent applications for generative AI globally, according to the Harvard Business Review. This trend marks a significant, unplanned pivot in how people interact with technology.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

CDC data from 2022 indicated that more than one in five U.S. adults under the age of 45 experienced symptoms of mental distress.

Must be the lack of personnel. Couldn't have anything to do with the global insecurity of rising inflation and low wage jobs coupled with the skyrocketing housing costs. Not to mention the whole "the earth is steadily getting hotter and extreme weather events are happening more and more frequently."

Yeah, let's invest in more AI that will fuck over the planet even more with colossal energy requirements and not even bother with making people more financially and socially secure.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 hours ago

Buy more. Buy more now.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 12 hours ago (3 children)

So somewhere they feel safe to do so. Says something pretty fucked up about our culture that men don't feel safe to open up anywhere. And no, it's not their own fault.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 59 minutes ago

I wouldn't use AI but I certainly don't have anyone to open up to really. Either they'd use what I tell them against me or just aren't in a position to offer any real support. With my luck I'd end up institutionalized for saying some unhinged shit anyway.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Everyday it seems to become clearer that American culture as whole is a problem. But that's not something people are allowed to talk about.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 hours ago

And no, it’s not their own fault.

Of course it is, men are cool targets to hate, get with the program.

[–] [email protected] 43 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago) (2 children)

I see a lot of people in this thread reacting with open hostility and derailment every time men's issues are mentioned. Have you tried not being a part of the problem?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago)

Allowing men’s issues to even be addressed risks giving legitimacy to the fact that these issues even exist. And if they exist, men can no longer be that evil monolith that exists only to be torn down and used as the cause for whatever is wrong with the world.

After all, the zero-sum game must be properly reinforced with an appropriate evil that cannot be allowed to have any weaknesses or redeeming attributes.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 15 hours ago

There are people like that for anything related to AI.

Combine that with men stuff and this going to be crack for all of those people

[–] [email protected] 12 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Unironically the "Men will do X besides going to therapy" meme

[–] [email protected] 10 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

Even therapists are suffering these days. It’s just more challenging than it’s ever been to gaslight clients into believing their concerns about the world aren’t objectively true and instead the symptom of an internal struggle.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 hours ago

...which are always conveniently treated by drugs!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 hours ago

I wonder how many therapists end up gaslighting and depressing themselves by trying to unintentionally gaslight their patients.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 18 hours ago (3 children)

I think we may be (re)-discovering the appeal of monotheistic religions, and why they hew patriarchal.

On average, men desperately need more mental health resources. But, on average, they are not comfortable building that with other men, and it often isn't appropriate or effective to lean on their female significant other (if a straight man).

So - enter the primary description of 'God'. Can listen any time but will always forgive, is super masculine but won't emasculate you, and has never told another soul what you are thinking.

AI is always available and is unlikely to emasculate anyone, but that third item... Well, we'll see where this goes.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 12 hours ago

You've basically just described "confession". You go into a little box designed to make it as difficult as possible for the priest to identify you, you talk about all the ways you feel like you're a bad person, and the priest talks to you for a while about it, then gives you some actionable items to make amends and once you've done them God officially forgives you. The whole concept of confession is designed to allow people to let go of their regrets and live in the now. It's actually quite clever as a bit of societal design. If modern priests had psychotherapy degrees then everyone in the world would have access to free therapy - unfortunately they wouldn't be very useful for LGBT+ people.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (1 children)

Lol see where it goes? If you think these AI companies, that are very publicly bleeding money, aren't selling your data out for pennies on the dollar, you're just keeping your head in the sand.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 hours ago

I've been asking Google Gemini weird and stupid trivia questions just to burn the world down faster.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 15 hours ago

Omg self host it omg

[–] [email protected] 6 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Sounds like the smart and sensible thing to do tbh, opening up to people in this day and age is just suicide

[–] [email protected] 5 points 12 hours ago

This is the absolute worst time to hand over all of your issues/fears over to any data collection companies. We're spiralling into fascism and data collection is going to be their best tool to attempt to control us.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 23 hours ago (6 children)

Part of me is ok with this in that any avenue to get mental health resources can be better than nothing. What worries me is that people will use ChatGPT for this sort of thing and these models will not be good help.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

AI will reinforce delusional thinking. This is definitely not good.

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

I'll admit I tried talking to a local deepseek about a minor mental health issue one night when I just didn't want to wake up/bother my friends. Broke the AI within about 6 prompts where no matter what I said it would repeat the same answer word-for-word about going for walks and eating better. Honestly, breaking the AI and laughing at it did more for my mental health than anything anyone could have said, but I'm an AI hater. I wouldn't recommend anyone in real need use AI for mental health advice.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 hours ago

I'd say make a grilled cheese sandwich with quality Gruyere and Cheddar and take a nap after.

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[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Like... yeah?

Tried to open to a girlfriend about a sensitive topic - she got the ick.

Tried to make an appointment with a psychiatrist - got a very hateful rejection because of my place of birth.

Damn, even when I try to uplift a friend, I use phrases like 'you got this before, you'll get it now'.

I don't know how to be a man, mentally

[–] [email protected] 18 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

Getting rejection because of place of birth is worth getting that doctors license revoked, find out which body governs doctors in your location and file a complaint

[–] [email protected] 14 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

Haha, not every place is in the US. Hopefully, I won't face this kind of treatment as I do not live in that shit hole of a country

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 hours ago

not every place is in the US

Thank Sithrak for that, jeez...

[–] [email protected] 8 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

I never said it was the US, do rules and regulations governing doctors behavior not exist in your country?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 12 hours ago

IDK, really. As I said, I left the country where this psychiatrist lives.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Become a rich jacked sociopath.

That’s most manly thing you can do apparently.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 12 hours ago

Sorry, I will pursue happiness instead

[–] [email protected] 10 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

AI is what cracked my egg shell, fucking wild...

[–] [email protected] 7 points 17 hours ago

Well that's gotta be an interesting story! Don't leave us hanging!

[–] [email protected] 67 points 1 day ago (11 children)

I can kinda understand the appeal. An AI isn't gonna judge you, an AI isn't gonna leave a mean comment or tell you to get over it and man up. It's giving an unnerving amount of personal information to corporations, but I can sympathise with the thoughts these men are having.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 13 hours ago

It might even, gasp, offer solutions.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

An AI isn’t gonna judge you,

Guess what is happening with that chat history.

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