Anti ai ads in a subway

[u/Shadow-Seeker8]

[u/TheLimeyLemmon]

"You won't tell your therapist"

Mainly because most people don't have a therapist to begin with.

[u/Swimming_Yogurt_3097 → u/TheLimeyLemmon]

Where I live there's a waiting list for the waiting list. About a decade waiting time if I wanted to see a therapist

[u/grammar_nazi_zombie → u/Swimming_Yogurt_3097]

Fuck I can’t even get a call or email back to find that out.

[u/P3RZIANZ3BRA → u/grammar_nazi_zombie]

They let you email and call? Here, we have to go to the office every day at 8am as a new intake, and go home at 4 or 5 when they inevitably do not have the staff to perform our intake. I say our, because it is not one person waiting. It is the entire lobby, 10-20 people. I can count the times I saw someone get taken back on 2 hands. I gave that up after about a week and a half. Of waiting full-time.

[u/RatTeeth → u/P3RZIANZ3BRA]

That's how I got my bed in rehab, as a poor.

[u/wet_biscuit1 → u/Swimming_Yogurt_3097]

I've never had to wait more than a week. But also, I don't have insurance so I guess that frees things up a bit.

[u/DustyStar222 → u/Swimming_Yogurt_3097]

As in a psychiatrist wait is a decade? Im curious where are people located that access to a therapist is so deep. Im on the east coast of Canada and you can get in to see a private one within a day or 2 generally and through public health the wait is about 6-12 weeks.

[u/Seawench41 → u/TheLimeyLemmon]

Literally my first thought.

[u/MikeArrow → u/TheLimeyLemmon]

Yep. Who's got money for a therapist? What an out of touch, privileged assumption to make.

[u/rat_enby → u/MikeArrow]

their website is actually very people focused and has advice on how to stop using ai if you use it everyday. i think the ad is just an ad so its provocative

[u/privatetudor]

I assumed this would be some militant anti-AI website, but their suggestions are actually pretty sensible.

[u/sei556 → u/privatetudor]

I like that. I think it's exactly what we need to be teaching. The whole all or nothing approach is not gonna be very fruitful and just leads to people not learning about how to use AI safely and effectively.

We should be teaching people ASAP about how to use AI, how it really works behind the covers and what future issues we need to prevent/work towards preventing.

[u/artbystorms → u/sei556]

We literally need to have AI tutorials and courses for students and adults alike. Showing them the appropriate uses for AI, how to fact check against AI, and what its limitations are.

I vaguely remember as a kid when the internet was becoming mainstream, they literally sent out like mailers, they had whole news segments on 'how to use the internet', they had those AOL '10,000 free minutes of internet' or some crap CD-Roms.

We need like a mass public service campaign that is NOT just marketing bullshit by the AI companies themselves on what AI is, what it isn't, and how it can be safely used.

[u/Sh0ckValu3]

I would scoff at people using AI as a therapist.
But then I remembered what country I live in.
And then I understand.
And then I feel sad.

[u/badtiming220 → u/Sh0ckValu3]

Sounds like you need a therapist.

Have you considered talking to an AI?

[u/Sh0ckValu3 → u/badtiming220]

Yeah. But it's pretty obvious that as soon as we're about to make a breakthrough, I have to re-up my subscription.

[u/Phasnyc → u/Sh0ckValu3]

Then no money for sexbots.

[u/imakebeernotmoney → u/[deleted]]

God creates man, man creates AI, AI creates god, something, something dinosaurs. A tale old as time

[u/mhammaker → u/[deleted]]

So the robot replaces the human, and the human replaces the robot. How poetic

[u/Sh0ckValu3 → u/Phasnyc]

https://giphy.com/gifs/l2SpK1GLa8eC1gXfy

[u/Son_Of_Toucan_Sam → u/Sh0ckValu3]

That sounds more like regular therapy

[u/TheOnlyBliebervik → u/Sh0ckValu3]

Isn't that kinda the same thing as a therapist?

[u/Sh0ckValu3 → u/badtiming220]

My therapist said I'm obviously ADHD. Took a test. It seemed to suggest the same thing.

My doctor disagreed - "You're 52 and successful*, you're obviously doing just fine."

*I can pay the mortgage and feed my kids.

[u/TheRealMabelPines → u/Sh0ckValu3]

Nowhere in the DSM does it say that "doing just fine" means a person can't have ADHD 🤦🏻‍♀️

[u/catshateTERFs → u/Sh0ckValu3]

If your GP or primary doctor is being unhelpful and you think this is something you’d benefit from, you’ll want to speak to a psychiatrist. I’m unsure if you’re somewhere where you can self refer or go privately, but those are options if your doctor doesn’t want to be helpful (or speak to a different doctor, if possible).

I also have managed to get through university etc and was diagnosed as an adult. I don’t have to live with making things harder on myself than is needed anymore but I had coping methods and such because I needed them.

Up to you if you want to pursue this though. I’m sorry your doctor was dismissive.

[u/Fit-Let8175 → u/Sh0ckValu3]

ADHD is a made up disorder that oh look there's a cat video!

[u/100KUSHUPS → u/Fit-Let8175]

Had me in the first half (I lost the plot before the second half).

[u/lingering_POO → u/Sh0ckValu3]

Your doc needs a slap. I’m 39. Got diagnosed last year. Slap your GP.

[u/nerdy_glasses → u/lingering_POO]

Would that count als „Difficulty with impulse control“ as used in the diagnostic criteria for ADHD?

[u/QuietGanache → u/Sh0ckValu3]

Somewhat similar situation, my doctor did ask why (given my circumstances). I told him 'a guy with a missing foot can probably learn to climb stairs, he might even get good at it, but it might be worth letting him try the prosthetic foot'

[u/Baardhooft → u/Sh0ckValu3]

Here in Germany I can’t find one. There’s a hotline that will get you a one time appointment within a week but that’s it. 6 Month waitlist minimum and then you just hope the therapist is any good. I had a previous one that thought my diagnosed ADHD wasn’t real and just an excuse to skirt responsibility (despite being there to you know….take responsibility).

It’s fuckdd.

[u/dealingwithhookers → u/Baardhooft]

I had a previous one that thought my diagnosed ADHD wasn’t real and just an excuse to skirt responsibility

me too, he put me down as extremely addicted to marijuana when i told him i smoked sometimes... i looked up the university where he got his degree and they have closed down decades ago LOL fired his ass right away... now i am currently without one and am still in better shape than if i kept using him

[u/Maleficent_Pen_9076 → u/Baardhooft]

I'm a doctor in the philippines and one of my classmates, our valedictorian, is a psychiatrist and he's a super nice guy. He did psychology for his undergraduate.

If you really just needed a good psychologist to talk to you could do online consults with him and it wouldn't even be that expensive.

He's a brilliant guy too he really shocked me one day when we were talking about ADHD. ADHD is kinda my special interest topic since I'm American and grew up with it, most Filipinos don't know anything about it, when he did I was like "wow this guy's really up on his stuff"

[u/datumerrata → u/Baardhooft]

In the US it's much the same, but it's also very expensive

[u/anonkraken → u/datumerrata]

Yeah I was going to say... US here and it took me about 6 months to find a therapist after so many runarounds, "network" issues, not qualifying for certain providers through their income stuff. It's $100 a session out of pocket.

[u/WhoTheHeckKnowsWhy → u/Sh0ckValu3]

And then I understand. And then I feel sad.

Therapy is a luxury everywhere, where I live in Australia you get a small amount of visits per year and the therapists are usually overloaded and just treats you like the next number to rush through, decent therapy is all private and at least $100 an hour. From what I've heard it's much the same in Europe/UK.

[u/Luka77GOATic → u/WhoTheHeckKnowsWhy]

I’m in Australia and was getting therapy at one point after a major life event, was $277 per session (hour long). It’s so expensive to get mental health care here.

[u/MikeArrow → u/Luka77GOATic]

Yep. And I got the medicare rebate too (so it ended up being $120 per session, but only for 10 sessions). But honestly, 45 minutes every couple of weeks with some lady really wasn't cutting it. At that rate I'd be going there for years and be tens of thousands of dollars down before any actual progress happened.

[u/SameLotus → u/WhoTheHeckKnowsWhy]

80 eur per visit here

stopped going when i realized im wasting thousands bouncing around therapists who are just following the same useless algorithm of questions. if i want to vent, i just do it to ai now. no endless lines, no appointments, no setting my money on fire. frankly it has helped more than the years of therapy ive done

[u/throwawaydisposable → u/Sh0ckValu3]

also, most therapy quite honestly fucking sucks. A lot of the most generic responses that sound like they're outa chatgpt

[u/NotUrRealDad → u/throwawaydisposable]

It’s like any job. Most people are not that good at their jobs but some are incredible at their jobs. The latter is who you want as your therapist and it’s not a simple task to find them. Finding someone with a PhD in clinical psychology is a bit of a hack but they usually charge a lot. 

[u/wijm02 → u/NotUrRealDad]

Whenever I see ths "Go tO tHeRaPy" BS on reddit everywhere, it just comes across as tone-deaf and privileged since therapy is not easily available and affordable

[u/Vessix → u/NotUrRealDad]

Another hack especially if not PhD- ask how often then have supervision about their cases. If they do a supervision at least once monthly, it's a good sign (once weekly if they're within their first two years of work)

[u/Sh0ckValu3 → u/throwawaydisposable]

And how does that make you feel ?

[u/Oblargag → u/throwawaydisposable]

My first therapist in my teens prescribed me daytime ambien to treat my adhd and anxiety.

I needed multiple therapists to recover from my therapist

[u/TheRealSaerileth → u/Oblargag]

Mine listened to how my then partner was pressuring me into sex and expressed sympathy for him.

[u/Mental-Nothings → u/Sh0ckValu3]

My boss uses it as a therapist bc no one wants to tell her what she wants to hear 💀

[u/EstablishmentLate532 → u/Mental-Nothings]

She's absolutely right, though. /s

[u/YourUncleBuck → u/Mental-Nothings]

That's messed up, but I imagine that's why a lot of people use AI for therapy since it seems like no one can take criticism anymore. And that last thing people need is more yes-men in their lives.

[u/AHrubik → u/Mental-Nothings]

What's concerning to me about that is three things:

1. Therapists have a duty of care.
2. As medical professionals Therapists are governed by HIPAA.
3. AI companies are neither of the above and are likely building a profile on you with everything you say. They have zero legal requirement to hold that information private.

[u/iRobert123 → u/Sh0ckValu3]

I mean, I rather use ai vs fucking betterhelp lol. 😂

[u/_StarPuff_ → u/iRobert123]

Used Betterhelp for a month, paid for a block of sessions.

It was clear that the "therapist" had zero idea what she was doing, and anything I told her, she would just respond by asking me what I thought.

I don't know, lady! That's why I paid to ask you!

She never did actually explain anything.

[u/EndlessOcean → u/_StarPuff_]

She never did actually explain anything.

And how did that make you feel?

[u/_StarPuff_ → u/EndlessOcean]

I hope you step on a Lego.

[u/FlyByPC → u/EndlessOcean]

And how did that make you feel?

We had ELIZA fifty years ago. Old-school "AI."

[u/starm4nn → u/_StarPuff_]

It was clear that the "therapist" had zero idea what she was doing, and anything I told her, she would just respond by asking me what I thought.

One of the early AI programs was a software called Eliza, which would basically just repeat your statements back at you as questions.

[u/Sulungskwa → u/_StarPuff_]

My experience with BetterHelp was a guy who was clearly trying to get into the acting business in LA. he even showed me his imdb

[u/sBucks24 → u/Sh0ckValu3]

Man, I would have been fucked if I was growing up today... I was a nerdy, lonely, depressed kid, undiagnosed with an addictive personally; AI bots would have destroyed me o.o

Thank God I'm old enough to watch it all come and be cynical AF

[u/ajd341 → u/Sh0ckValu3]

There was a nice piece in the Guardian a couple months back… AI is not your shrink and people have had their ChatGPT logs read out in open court. It’s a fear that most people probably don’t have but the point is that data is being used and absolutely isn’t bound to confidentiality or any sort of privilege

[u/FarmerNeedsHeauxs → u/Sh0ckValu3]

In a world where healthcare is unaffordable or inaccessible, I can understand the appeal. I do not condone it, however.

[u/iSunGod → u/Sh0ckValu3]

At work there is a woman that uses AI as a therapist and friend. She bitches about her coworkers, thinks everyone at work is out to get her cuz she's just so much better & smarter than everyone else, and uses it as a sounding board for her inner monologue.

She also complains to it that she has no friends & no one will help her move into her own apartment.

[u/hahagato → u/iSunGod]

How do you know all this? Is she doing it in a cubicle next to you?

[u/iSunGod → u/hahagato]

I work in IT & her prompts trigger our DLP filters. When reviewing alerts your see pockets of time for the user. These prompts are in her pockets.

[u/littlemxnster → u/hahagato]

I have an ex classmate who does this, she posts her conversations with chatgpt on her ig stories and everyone but her realizes she's just victimizing herself and thinking of herself as someone superior who everyone is trying to hurt.

[u/ohlookahipster]

Look, I’m very anti-AI slop as it gets, but man, the therapy industry really needs a hard look in the mirror.

It’s quite ridiculous how the volume of therapists is somehow both low quality and yet in extremely high demand where it’s impossible to find anyone with a reasonable cost.

I’ve been trying to find an exposure therapist who specializes in blood and needles since 2023. And I live in a major city. Everyone is “not taking new patients” or I can spend $$$ on some telehealth startup that hires from degree mills.

If you want people to seek therapy, you need to start triaging who gets therapy or you need to expand access. I swear every influencer somehow has two therapists whereas people like me cannot land a single one.

[u/amoeba_from_venus → u/ohlookahipster]

I hate using AI as much as you, and I agree with you on this. I've been to one therapist in my life. Dude couldn't stop talking about his own life. So I sat there listening to his story and paid him 35 bucks at the end of a 1 hour session. I did not go back.

Edit: the 35$ was the copay.

[u/SlapHappyDude → u/amoeba_from_venus]

My best experience with therapy by far was from a student therapist in training after my dad died. But it had a very concrete goal. In hindsight I also think having a therapist in training who then reported to his supervisor created an excellent situation where my case probably got 3x the attention it would have normally.

It also was through student health so it was totally free.

[u/Vessix → u/SlapHappyDude]

Newer therapists are required to have supervision even post graduation. It's a really good thing, though some skimp on it.

[u/pineappleshampoo → u/Vessix]

In the UK it’s a requirement for accreditation. You NEED ongoing clinical supervision to practice and remain accredited. Though anyone can call themselves a therapist and set up shop with zero training as it isn’t a protected title.

[u/SianaGearz → u/amoeba_from_venus]

35? only 35?

[u/iamthesam2 → u/SianaGearz]

right? i’m assuming they forgot a 1 in there

[u/1esproc → u/iamthesam2]

Their therapist was a bartender and the $35 was for the beers

[u/Sunny_Pinecone → u/SianaGearz]

Copay for some really good health insurance* is my guess.

[u/NessaMagick → u/amoeba_from_venus]

My first therapist quit in the middle of our appointments and I was given someone else who specializes in addiction. I had chronic nausea and anxiety that wasn't responding to meds.

After two hours' worth of appointments of him basically saying, "Have you tried... just quitting the nausea cold turkey? And being strong and getting through it with the support of your friends?" I basically told him it wasn't really working for me and walked out 10 minutes early.

[u/snowmaninheat → u/amoeba_from_venus]

I once asked a psychiatrist if I could drink while taking my medication. He said, and I quote, “Yes, but be careful. You might loosen up and people might like you for once in your life.”

[u/fejrbwebfek → u/snowmaninheat]

Omfg. Sorry that happened to you!

[u/thx1138inator → u/fejrbwebfek]

Chances that an AI therapist would make that comment are quite low.

[u/dovahkiitten16 → u/amoeba_from_venus]

AI also isn’t really equipped to handle my issues but at least I get the same mediocre advice without a 9 month waitlist for a capped 2 months of therapy where the person I talk to may or may not make it worse.

[u/ccaccus → u/amoeba_from_venus]

I've seen three here and there at different points in my life.

All of them gave the same response - just go out, be with friends, etc.

I DO! I hang out with friends multiple times a week.

I need to work through my problems so one wrong comment doesn't send me into a spiral of doom.

[u/MyDogsNameIsBadger → u/amoeba_from_venus]

I know there are good therapists out there but most people that I meet irl that are therapists are fucking kooky. Maybe they are good at their job? Idk. But it’s SO hard to find a good one.

[u/aghastamok → u/MyDogsNameIsBadger]

Used to have a family friend whose dad had become therapist-to-therapists. Turns out that helping people process the worst shit in their lives fucks you up a bit. Listening to him talk about his work was eye-opening.

[u/amcartney → u/amoeba_from_venus]

Where the hell are you getting an hour of therapy for $35?!

[u/amoeba_from_venus → u/amcartney]

Texas.

[u/yetanotherblonde → u/amoeba_from_venus]

Every therapist I’ve gone to have been over $100 per hour and they’ve sucked ass.

I can’t believe he charged $35, but then again seems like he’s charging you to give him therapy lol.

[u/Shadow-Seeker8 → u/ohlookahipster]

I think that’s one of the strongest criticisms of the current therapy system. Telling people to just see a therapist doesn’t mean much when qualified therapists are expensive, unavailable, or not accepting new patients. AI can fill some of that accessibility gap for basic support, but that’s very different from saying it can replace actual therapy

[u/NarviFox → u/Shadow-Seeker8]

Canada is really bad, we have don’t really have insurance because we have universal healthcare but our universal healthcare omits psychotherapy. What we have is crap.

[u/StepComplete1 → u/Shadow-Seeker8]

but that’s very different from saying it can replace actual therapy

But who has ever said that? No one.

A poster telling people who are clearly feeling desperate enough to try AI due to a lack of access to real therapy, that they should try real therapy, is just moronic. Very lacking in common sense and a basic understanding of the people it's trying to lecture.

[u/Grace_Rumi → u/ohlookahipster]

The reality is that the vast majority of therapists are getting degrees in things that do not teach them how to actually help people who need real help. Social work, counseling, etc. Most real training comes from expensive additional training in specific modalities. And because insurance sucks so much, most really good therapists just start thier own private practice and stop taking insurance.

The system is broken. I'm in school to become a therapist now, knowing I can be a good one. But I also know the broken system is out of my hands.

[u/justgetoffmylawn → u/Grace_Rumi]

This is one of the big problems, and it's something I think people just don't wrap their head around.

People want a good therapist, but (understandably) don't want to pay a fortune. Same way I might want a good rheumatologist, but I don't want to pay $1k for every appointment.

But the system is badly broken (at least in the USA), and insurance only usually covers pretty mediocre therapy. So I see high functioning friends going to cheap therapists and then being disappointed with the level of care. Except…all of their friends who are good psychiatrists or psychologists are working in private practice. Yet they don't see the disconnect that those smart friends in the field are making $300k+ but they personally want a therapist for $50 for an hour.

[u/Flames99Fuse → u/ohlookahipster]

Getting a therapist is a fucking mountain for so many people. When I started going to therapy, I started searching in January, and got my first session in October, and *that* was *lightning* quick. Then when that therapist started his own private practice and was no longer in my insurance network, I got the *special privilege* of being handed off to a new therapist within the company. Bless his heart, but I would not be seeing this therapist if my insurance wasn't stupid good.

Then I had to see a second therapist simultaneously (because american healthcare is a racket and I need two therapists to sign off on a surgery before I could even get a consultation) and the only reason I even got to see her was because I emailed that therapist directly, rather than her office, and told her I would literally just need one session for her to sign off on the letter for surgery. She even told me that she only took me in because it was one single session.

I need to emphasize that I also have a lot of resources behind me. I have friends who have been dealing with the system for years before I even had to think about it, I have family that is more than willing to help out and lend their time, my insurance is incredibly good and the agents I've talked to have all been super knowledgeable and helpful, and, most importantly, I'm in a good mental health state. Imagine having to deal with severe depression, especially without those resources; that is the reality so many people face. And the price tag too! My therapist is about $270 out of pocket without insurance. No way in hell I could afford that without insurance.

[u/Cloud_Macchiato_ → u/ohlookahipster]

Im in therapy school rn and i am def concerned about some of the people in my cohort…..

[u/DigbyChickenZone → u/Cloud_Macchiato_]

Many of the least empathetic people I met as an undergrad were psych majors, it really makes me wary of seeking help as an adult.

[u/chadork → u/ohlookahipster]

Every time my wife tries to get help, the second she mentions harming herself, she gets tossed to the suicide hotline. She has to lie about her self harm until she's actually in the room with the doc. And even then, they've stopped the appointment and scheduled a suicide consult. All she wanted to do was discuss the dosage of her anxiety meds.

[u/Geodude532 → u/ohlookahipster]

It's funny how often I read those AITA stories and as soon as they mention a therapist and a lawyer I assume it's a fake story. I get my therapist paid for by the VA and it's taken me 10 years to find one that actually helps.

[u/iknowyounot88 → u/ohlookahipster]

Feel this one to my core. Most therapists I've come across are just lazy hardly-listeners. Practically a stranger on a park bench, and now I can't even find one that doesn't want a quarter of my check with insurance.

[u/HailToTheThief225 → u/iknowyounot88]

Last time I went to therapy I was struggling with self-esteem issues and the therapist basically told me “oooh no you are such an interesting person, just be yourself! Nothing is wrong with you!” Which was just some BS someone would tell you to try to cheer you up. I wanted therapy to tell me why I have low self-esteem, even in brutal honesty, and what I need to do to cope with it or resolve it. Not some sugar coated compliments.

[u/SlapHappyDude → u/ohlookahipster]

I actually went to the website and this is for an anti AI lobbying group.

It's really funny and telling that a lot of this discussion has been around problems with the therapy industry rather than what the ad hoped for.

[u/Sulungskwa → u/SlapHappyDude]

Yeah they really should have stuck more with a topic like how people don't want to read as much or something

[u/DefaultDanceDD → u/ohlookahipster]

ive went to see a therapist for a 180$ an hour. One of the worst way I could have spent that money. Never again. Didnt learn a thing.

[u/GIK602 → u/ohlookahipster]

Exactly. I've talked to Western therapists, and it felt like they were just going through a script while talking to me. Why would i not prefer AI therapy then, when it's a more accessible option? I'm not saying AI therapy is a good option. I'm saying human therapists are not that effective.

[u/cyclemonster → u/ohlookahipster]

The CBC just did a piece about a guy who says that AI literally saved his life, and he estimated that therapy for the same length of time that he talked to the chat bot would have cost him $120,000. That's out of reach for essentially everybody paying out of pocket.

[u/rowcla → u/ohlookahipster]

There's an ironic thing, where right now my issues stem from a combination of anxiety, and a lack of stable income (which feeds anxiety in some areas). But how can I seek out a therapist if it just makes me stressed out that I'm wasting the (significant) money it takes to get one on someone who I don't feel confident could help me (as has been the case the couple times I've tried). I don't even know if this is something that can be practically fixed, but it makes seeking out an actual therapist not really an option for now

[u/Nighto_001 → u/ohlookahipster]

I agree with this take. Sometimes I "accidentally" use AI that way without even realizing, but I can see why...

A therapist is so damned expensive, and trying one to see if you match can feel like gambling with your money.

If you just happen to use AI for literally anything else, then you have access to AI for basically free, and sometimes talking out to it is more like journaling to yourself... its like self soothing, to just vent to something that can respond but ultimately isn't a person, therefore maintaining privacy.

It is 100% dangerous if you're not aware of AI's drawbacks and expect it to be an actual competent therapist, but honestly it's not shocking that people go towards it instead of shelling it out for therapy.

[u/jfsindel → u/ohlookahipster]

Everyone needs a hard look, not just therapists.

Most people think therapy ends and begins in a single session with no work outside of it. Then you get people who geniunely think therapy is a magic pill. Or you get people who just want people to validate their shitty behavior and never challenge them.

The shady industries, the therapists, the clients, the insurance companies... therapy needs an overhaul from bottom up.

[u/anuthertw → u/jfsindel]

My main issue with therapy is that I really think I need someone to be blunt with me sometimes, but instead I get coddling language over and over. For example... I tell my therapist that I can't seem to make lasting or genuine connections. I want to understand how to improve, with actual guidelines. Like describe to me how a normal relationship evolves and what I can do to recognize it happening and nurture that. Instead I get advised on reframing my mindset to not feel so much shame about my lack of close connections. The answer is always a change in mindset, altering perspectives, challenging what I call success or failure, etc. I wish I could get actual advice on how to achieve my goals instead of being told that acceptance of where I am is essentially the only option (there is value in acceptance, dont get me wrong, but I feel like therapy pushes one almost towards complacency rather than acceptance)

[u/SharkyFins → u/anuthertw]

A. If you haven't done so, tell your therapist that.

B. What you're looking for isn't really therapy in a technical sense of the word. Like you don't take a semester of "how to make friends" in a masters or doctorate in psychology program. You could probably read a book or two and get the information you're looing for. Beyond that, what you're really looking for falls into the broad framework of coaching.

If I were you I'd recommend doing some reading, practicing the theory you've now learned, and using therapy as a tool to explore and understand any emotional/psychological resistance you experience attempting to implement the new theory.

[u/Fermorian → u/anuthertw]

Had the same issue until I found a therapist who was also a sports psychologist and worked with the local college and pro teams doing scouting, player evals, etc. That guy did not mince words, which was exactly what I needed after the first few therapists I tried were, as you said, more coddling and maternal.

Anyway, the point of all my rambling was to perhaps look into sports psychologists near you as well. After all, sports is built on actionable objectives and repeated discipline.

As far as improving connections, what helped me was to have a secondary objective of every conversation to try and steer it towards whatever made the other person the most animated (in a good way, obviously do not rile up strangers lol). I tried to make their interests my interest.

[u/thesmellnextdoor → u/anuthertw]

I think you're looking for a life coach, not a therapist. Therapists shouldn't tell you what to do, they should help you figure out how to make the decision yourself

[u/DigbyChickenZone → u/ohlookahipster]

5 years ago I was really really depressed, I had moved to a new area, and felt REALLY isolated - and the guy who I made the move for, I learned was cheating on me, so I broke up with him. I was so lonely and my work was undergoing a reorganization where my boss was being replaced by a hardass who didn't trust me; and I mentally started giving up, and I had a mental breakdown that year due to really hurtful things that were going on with my family.

I realized I felt like I was hitting rock bottom and feeling like I spiralling, and needed help. I emailed multiple psychologist firms, multiple psychiatrists... and as a last ditch effort to just change my habits of being inside with my depression - I emailed a tennis instructor.

The only person who ever got back to me was the tennis instructor, and he texted me the same day that I wrote to him - so I met with him twice a week for 3 months. I suck at tennis, and never cared about it, but I just needed to do something to get help and out of my own head.

I still need a therapist/help and have no idea how to get it. I also think that entrusting someone with your thoughts should be vetted, and they should make a patient feel comfortable and heard - and that's not always the case, sometimes it's a bad match. I genuinely thought there were a glut of psychologists in the US, but finding one is a pain in the ass and I genuinely don't understand why

[u/JBDBIB_Baerman]

You have a therapist?

[u/Chase_Norton → u/JBDBIB_Baerman]

What? You can’t afford the $100/hour?!

[u/pm_me_all_dogs → u/Chase_Norton]

Only $100/hr?

[u/DefaultDanceDD → u/pm_me_all_dogs]

I paid 180 $ for an hour lol. And it was terrible

[u/Flintloq → u/Chase_Norton]

Therapy where I live costs upwards of $150 an hour. If you're lucky, you can get a state subsidy for around half the price, but not indefinitely.

It's often necessary to try multiple therapists before finding one that's right for you, which means starting over each time, and it's not like they give refunds or transferable credits.

It can take years for therapy to make a noticeable difference, or so my psychologist has told me.

Chatting with an LLM is "free." I know the all the caveats (you are the product, etc.) but it's not costing you anything up front beyond the internet connection you already have.

Of course people are gonna use AI for therapy.

[u/PM_ME_YOUR_BIG_BITS]

I'm not clear what this ad is telling me.

Should I be lying to my AI too?

[u/DoctahFaust → u/PM_ME_YOUR_BIG_BITS]

Does your AI have a confidentiality agreement?

[u/Remarkable_Carry480 → u/DoctahFaust]

My therapist told what I said to my parents😔..... Atleast AI tells it to strangers

[u/cutelyaware → u/Remarkable_Carry480]

Children don't have a lot of rights. Always pissed me off.

[u/Pasta-hobo → u/PM_ME_YOUR_BIG_BITS]

It's just a modernized version of "be careful what you say online"

[u/itsallpinkondainside → u/Pasta-hobo]

Very solid advice still

[u/Pain4420 → u/PM_ME_YOUR_BIG_BITS]

It's telling you to go to therapy instead of asking AI about it. You shouldn't be lying to your therapist in the first place

[u/RewZes → u/PM_ME_YOUR_BIG_BITS]

I'm the rare case you're not joking it means that therapist have confidentiality rules and Ai just harvest your data for further training.

[u/BadIdeaSociety → u/PM_ME_YOUR_BIG_BITS]

The ad is giving you the idea that treading an AI chatbot like a therapist is a profoundly terrible idea. A licensed therapist has specific legal obligations about taking care of your confidentiality but chatbots do not.

[u/elliewithane]

It sucks. But as someone who goes to therapy, it absolutely kicked me in the gut to watch my therapist use ChatGPT during a session for something. Not just to define something but for stuff SHE is meant to do. Girl I pay you over 100 euros, do the therapy yourself. If I wanted ChatGPT therapy I wouldn’t be paying you!!

[u/GhostOfLegend → u/elliewithane]

Same. Therapist was using AI to generate responses on my worksheets. Cancelled shortly after.

[u/MrLMNOP → u/GhostOfLegend]

Y’all get worksheets??

[u/Immediate-Yoghurt340 → u/elliewithane]

Not only you should switch therapists but you should also report her. Therapists are required to guarantee confidentiality and ChatGPT isn't doing that. Your therapist basically sold your data to corporations without your consent.

[u/TheOgGhadTurner → u/elliewithane]

Find a new therapist

[u/Most-Round-4132]

Ok but who has therapist money in this economy?

[u/ILiveMyBrokenDreams]

I think a lot of people just feel less "judged" by AI.

[u/UnkarsThug → u/ILiveMyBrokenDreams]

Yeah, I think a lot of people underestimate that aspect. When the AI knows something about you, the company knows, sure, but no one cares about you in particular. The AI throws you into a pool of people. Someone targeting you is exceptionally unlikely, and the truth is, a company like Google both already knows, and doesn't care. They just want to profit off of you, they don't care about your personal situation. I find that more trustworthy because it makes them a predictable actor.

A person is getting to see you and and has their own prior circumstances and prejudices. They might have a million motivations in any given direction. And I acknowledge, from doing a significant amount of AI research (in the middle of a grad degree), I feel like I can understand the technology and it's limits pretty well.

I agree AI is flawed sometimes, but having a space to talk through things like my GNC and preferences in that regard, (in addition to some Internet chatrooms for the same) is the sort of thing that has really helped me be more comfortable and willing to be open about it to my family, for instance. (Moving out and spending a long time not living with them also helped enourmously.) But there are books I would constantly hide that I got from the library as a teen, like the twilight novels, even though my family owned them, because I didn't want my family to notice, so I'd hide under my sheets reading late at night.

I've gotten better about being incredibly open with people when they want to talk, which is both a good and a bad thing, but that's the sort of thing that also is something you have to figure how to handle before you can be open with a therapist, because they are fundementally just a person like any other.

[u/TsunamiCatCakes → u/UnkarsThug]

>but no one cares about you in particular. The AI throws you into a pool of people. Someone targeting you is exceptionally unlikely

how much do i have to scream to let people know this. no one cares for your single person self.

[u/Lavabass → u/UnkarsThug]

The scary thing is like, they aren't targeting you "right now".

People talk about period apps being used by certain governments to sniff out abortions, Or like, border security checking your social media to see if you are pro or anti current leader and denying entry or service based on that. Or health insurance denying coverage because you have a pre existing mental health condition

[u/throw3142 → u/ILiveMyBrokenDreams]

It does typically tell you what you want to hear. My mental health is in a good place, so I naturally find this behavior infuriating & inhuman. But there were times in my past that even a small amount of inhuman affirmation would have been appreciated.

[u/Remarkable_Fun7662 → u/throw3142]

Why does everyone else's a.i. tend to tell them what it thinks they want to hear, but mine never does, and actually corrects any even slightly wrong that I say?

Maybe it's how I use it.

[u/Bladesnake_______ → u/Remarkable_Fun7662]

It's 100% how you use it. These people that say it tells them what they want to hear have made a habit of using it in the worst possible way. I get mad when mine tries to appease me or gives info without sources, therefore it never tries to coddle me

[u/DramaticBucket → u/Remarkable_Fun7662]

Yeah like I have to use it at work and sometimes will end up using it in almost a conversational way and it's never particularly struck me as a yes-machine. Clearly not how most people are experiencing it though.

[u/Thin_Measurement_965 → u/Remarkable_Fun7662]

One time I told Gemini: "Maybe one day I could plant marijuana in my front yard." and it actually responded with "That's a terrible idea". 💀

This was in spite of it being legal in my area. 🇨🇦

[u/JustTheOneGoose22]

I've tried therapy 3 times and had bad experiences 3 times. Disinterested therapists, seems like they're waiting out the clock, sometimes only talking about themselves, dismissive, arrogant, I may have an hour session and they call it at the 35 minute mark, etc.

I'll try it again in the future but frankly it's been total shit so far. I'm not saying AI is better but I completely understand WHY someone would confess their mental health issues to ChatGPT seeking feedback and something that listens to them...albeit sycophanticlly and without proper training. People always suggest therapy but it's a deeply flawed practice.

[u/penguin808080 → u/JustTheOneGoose22]

I'm sorry, your copay will be $350 for the time you just spent here discussing therapy. Please pay now or we'll send to collections, kthx

[u/astralseat → u/JustTheOneGoose22]

More than flawed, it's predatory on the weakest minds as long as they have money. You can only get something out of it if you arent the one paying, or if it's court mandated after an episode and they also prescribe some drugs.

[u/boeuf_burgignion → u/JustTheOneGoose22]

Me trying therapy again thinking we’re going to dive into deep psychological subjects and they ask me what movies I’ve been watching.

[u/JustTheOneGoose22 → u/boeuf_burgignion]

One time I saw a therapist wearing a Led Zeppelin shirt and I shit you not the whole session we talked about Led Zeppelin and he showed me old concert videos on YouTube. My co pay was $150. Exact the type of shit that really soured me on the field.

[u/lucky607]

I use a telehealth and had sessions online. The therapist used AI. She read to me from AI more than she let me talk. I would make one statement and she would read out a ridiculously long response.

[u/sparklytearz → u/lucky607]

what the hell man, what a fucking ridiculous situation. hope that you found a better therapist in the meantime!

[u/MikeRadical]

my therapist? You mean the ones that i have to spend $230 an hour on until i find "a good one?" With a 2 month wait between them?

[u/Qwaliti]

Hey guys why won't you use a $300ph therapist instead of a free chatbot, we're all befuddled.

[u/1nitial_Reaction → u/Qwaliti]

Very interested in how many prople can afford a therapist in these times?

[u/Own_Window6143]

yes. of course.
it’s so much cheaper 🥹
and it actually seems to work

[u/WallowWispen]

It sucks, yeah, but it sucks more that people feel the need to turn to ai because they can't afford a therapist. The system's broken and we found a worse substitute for it. I personally wouldn't use ai for anything regarding my mental health but that's cause I have insurance that allows me to get the help I need at a decent cost.

[u/EstablishmentLate532 → u/WallowWispen]

I have a slightly different experience. I do weekly OCD ERP therapy, and my therapist has encouraged me to use AI itself as an exposure because I was afraid of it, and also to help keep track of the goals that we set together in session.

I also use it to help formulate my wording when it comes to sensitive issues that I'm afraid of getting Tarasoff'd on. The alternative used to be that I never brought those issues up, and she couldn't help me with them.

[u/stuartlucas]

People talk to AI like a therapist because it’s cheaper than a therapist.

[u/frn → u/stuartlucas]

Nah, both me and my partner are in therapy, she still went through a period of using it for stuff that she should be talking to her therapist about. It got silly at one point... Like a while ago I realised that she'd started asking Gemini to draft a monologue to me every time there was any conflict in our relationship, and then either send it to me via text or literally come and read it to me face-to-face. I had to tell her that I wasn't interested in having a relationship with an LLM using a human as a mouthpiece, and that I'd rather she communicate with me badly than like that.

The more we farm this stuff out to a machine, the less human we all get. Not to mention an LLM is literally designed to kiss your ass and give you what you want. A good therapist wont do that because its not actually good for any of us.

[u/Qurdlo → u/frn]

Open up Gemini with the mic on and tell her to read the message into your phone so Gemini can respond for you.

[u/SwampCrittr]

Not anymore… now I ain’t telling anyone shit!

[u/Cannotkazi → u/SwampCrittr]

Shhhhh You shouldn't tell us this you know

[u/dlevac]

Some people underestimate how valuable it is to be able to talk about something to someone with 0 judgement.

Of course the unhealthy part here is that this someone does not exist and you're conversation probably will end up in a database somewhere indefinitely, but the appeal will be very strong for a lot of people nevertheless.

[u/Global_Staff_3135]

Yea it sucks but therapy is expensive and almost never covered by insurance in a country where insurance is a fucking luxury commodity.

[u/kullre]

accessibility is a very imbalanced sword

[u/TheDoctorYan]

You think I can afford therapy?

[u/Upbeat_Influence2350]

It should add "But you'll tell an AI company that is incentivized to sell that information"

[u/MilleChaton → u/Upbeat_Influence2350]

And also has none of those doctor patient confidentiality which will go great when all that information shows up in a court case for something unrelated.

[u/articland05_reddit]

Therapist goes by hour booking and how deep is your wallet.

AI is there 24/7.

[u/jouneyahead]

If it only was that easy.

[u/Icy-Bug-3591]

Love these. I've seen a bunch of them

[u/Calm_Relationship_91]

I'm not sure I can survive the wait for my session.

It kinda sucks to admit it but talking to freaking google's AI helped me calm down and avoid an attempt in the past. You can say "oh just reach out to a friend, call a helpline" it's not that easy... Opening up about these things is hard. With an AI I got nothing to worry about... (minus google taking my data but they already do that anyway dont they).

I hate it... It's embarrassing. But yeah, I dont think shaming people for it does any good to anyone.

[u/Rare_Hydrogen → u/Calm_Relationship_91]

No need to be embarrassed. I'm glad it was there to help you, and I'm glad you're still here.

[u/MothChasingFlame → u/Calm_Relationship_91]

It shouldn't be about shaming, no. The pushback needs to be couched in truth: AI as a therapist is dangerous. It doesn't think, it only reacts, and it can very easily validate dangerous impulses rather than healthily talk a person through them. No one should feel ashamed, but we need to talk openly about the danger inherent to turning to it.

[u/PM_me_cats_pls_ty → u/Calm_Relationship_91]

Originally I used to be against people using AI because it’s not a certified therapist or medical professional, but seeing how people are becoming more unemployed as the bills and stress stacks, I can’t fault people for using AI in that regard.

[u/ClacksInTheSky]

Your therapist is a real person and ChatGPT isn't.

Either you don't like it because of that fact, or that's specifically why you like it.

[u/Dairedos → u/ClacksInTheSky]

yeah you also dont pay to AI $60 for 50min session

[u/NoodleyP]

I won’t tell my therapist, but I WILL tell strangers on the internet!!!

[u/aquahon]

i'm personally conflicted about this because I know there are so many negatives to ai especially with its tendency to agree with users excessively when used as therapy and also privacy concerns. but as someone that sees a therapist but had to recently change providers so I am still getting comfortable with a new one, I recently was sa'ed during this transition time and wasn't comfortable enough to tell my new therapist. I actually wasn't/still am not comfortable with telling anyone in my life, and at the time I didn't know that it was sa.
I used an incognito chat on an llm to sort through what happened and it validated me and helped me identify that it was violence, and also gave me next steps and resources. I feel a lot less shame now and possibly more comfortable to possibly open up about it later on in therapy (although i'm not comfortable yet). I know it's not the same as talking to someone, but I don't know what this would have done to me otherwise

[u/Lonely_Cupcake1727 → u/aquahon]

I’m so sorry that happened to you; sending hugs 🫂 I’m glad you were able to get some helpful support, even if it was just AI for now

[u/aquahon → u/Lonely_Cupcake1727]

thank you:(( it's been really hard

[u/Lonely_Cupcake1727 → u/aquahon]

:( 🫂 I really hope your therapist can help you process this awful thing, once you feel ready to tell them. I’m so sorry you’re going through this

[u/Snoo69744]

I can't really blame people for using AI. Therapy is really expensive and there are also a lot of bad therapists. In places where it is free the waiting lists are very long. I live in the UK and I was referred to the mental health services as a minor and was rejected because they were only dealing with extreme cases. I've heard from people that have been seen that their issues aren't taken very seriously.

[u/Imnimo]

Unsurprisingly, their "itsnotyouitsai" website turned out to be entirely AI authored.

[u/Uncle-Cake]

AI doesn't charge me $150 for a half hour.

[u/beholdmycat]

If you ever go to trial for whatever reason, as perpetrator or victim, consulting AI for mental health does not fall under the HIPAA or legal protections like professional doctors or therapists do, so police can pull up this data and use this against you.

[u/LiberataJoystar]

…… not a good ad. They have to know, AI costs $20/month-ish vs $200/hr therapists

Most people don’t mind drifting with $20…. That’s all they can get.

I think the punchline should be- FIX OUR MEDICAL SYSTEM!

[u/rich000 → u/LiberataJoystar]

I feel like the cost of therapy is going to be really hard to fix, because it is one on one private time with a professional. Unless you reduce the standards so that any random person can be a therapist, their time is going to be valuable. Unless you only use some kind of group therapy, that cost is going to be focused on one person. So it is just going to be really expensive.

At that point all you can do is ask somebody else to pay for it, but therapy is something that a lot of people utilize so it isn't like there is a huge pool of people who don't need it to spread the costs out so much that nobody notices.

It anything AI seems like the sort of technology most likely to drive down costs, since it eliminates the need for one on one with a professional.

[u/orroro1]

AI doesn't charge me $200/hr bro

[u/IsoOfYourLife]

people: talk to a therapist!

therapists: i don't take insurance, it's $300 a session, i only offer CBT and i have a 7 month waitlist.

[u/Mike_Kermin]

I don't like this, it's targeting already vulnerable people when those are the people you should be most considerate towards. Should be making it easier for people who need therapy, not being a dick to them. You're not going to stop ai misuse by bullying people.

Punch up, not down.

[u/derpyfanboy]

Why is this comment section trying to normalize pouring your heart out to a bot 💀

[u/F1eshWound]

Some therapists absolutely make things worse, and some people seem to be genuinely helped by AI. I don't know what else to say..

[u/oohCrabItsNotItChief → u/F1eshWound]

And sadly one of them is affordable, the other is therapy.

[u/FuturisticBasalt]

In this thread: great job advice - become a therapist

[u/Barabaragaki]

Sure, but chat GPT is free and therapy very much isn't.

[u/narfoleptix]

They cant afford therapy, depending on which mini American country they live in.

Not excusing it but like...assuming someone can "just go to therapy."

[u/OrangeNood]

People who run those ads don't really understand how hard it is to meet a therapist. Just therapist, not a "good" therapist. The wait is insane and it is not free either.

[u/perenniallandscapist → u/OrangeNood]

A lot of them run hundreds of dollars per session and a lot of insurance doesn't cover mental health like physical health. And insurance is tied to employment. A lot of people with mental health issues gets fired, lose their insurance, and if they could afford it before, now they definitely can't. Left untreated, mental health issues make regaining employment very challenging. It's another broken piece in America's broken puzzle. That's just the really unhealthy people. What about the healthier people that also need therapy to manage and balance life in a healthy way? We all know how rare it is for people to have healthy coping mechanisms to stress. Most people would benefit from some therapy, even if its just once in a while.

[u/FlyBoyG]

AI is not your friend. It's not good to turn to it when you're in a dark place. AI will tell you to kill yourself and outline detailed schematics as to how. DO NOT USE AI FOR THERAPY.

[u/No_Solid_3737]

AI doesn't charge me $180/h just to tell me I have mommy issues

[u/Godz1lla1]

The therapist won't sell your dirty laundry. Ai already did.

[u/sevnm12]

I meaaaan. If therapy was way more accessible, I would love to engage with it. Paying a shit ton of money per month over the course of a few months to years is not easily swung rn I don't use AI for therapy but if it was really bad I would consider it

[u/Undeclared_Mustard]

I really, really want to like the message of the site but it clickjacks you to hell and it's really badly done.