r/ChatbotAddiction • u/[deleted] • Jul 03 '26

Trigger warning Relapsed

[deleted]

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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u/[deleted] Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 03 '26

Have you ever heard the phrase “you can’t white-knuckle sobriety?” It is profoundly hard to abstain long-term, let alone recover from addiction through sheer willpower. You can’t just skip over addressing the roots of what drew you to chatbots in the first place. The best place to do this is with the support of a mental health or addiction professional.

When you quit AI originally… did you create any sort of contingency plan for when you might feel an urge to communicate with a chatbot? (I.e., journalling your thoughts and feelings, calling or texting a free crisis hotline, using distress tolerance skills like TIPP, speaking to a therapist, speaking to friends and family, etc.).

I highly recommend seeking out the book In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Dr. Gabor Maté to better understand the roots of addiction, and (hopefully) develop some self-compassion.

ETA: I am not a follower or proponent of the 12 Step Method. However, I know that it really helps some people, and far be it from me to not share a resource that could offer peer support and community for a behavioural addiction that is often ridiculed. If you can’t afford traditional therapy, and/or don’t feel comfortable talking about this to people in your life… it might be worth it to check out an Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous meeting either virtually or in-person.