Can AI help therapists shrink their workloads?

 Can AI help therapists shrink their workloads?

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AI has caused a lot of anxiety in recent years, but can it maybe help treat it, too? Some mental health professionals have been holding space for that possibility, cautiously integrating AI into their work routines. Or, as they might put it, taking baby steps toward adoption, while being mindful about safe boundaries. Patient care: Administrative work is an obvious place to start. A lot of paperwork—like updating records, transcription, keeping track of appointments, and billing insurance companies—can be aided or automated by AI, freeing up therapists to spend more time actually talking with patients. Therapy speak Whether they want to or not, therapists have also had to adapt to patients using AI chatbots. According to a recent KFF poll: About 1 in 6 adults has used AI tools for mental health information or advice. The rate is even higher among younger adults, Black and Hispanic adults, and people who are uninsured. After all, since Covid, experts worry that there aren’t enough qualified therapists to keep up with demand, and chatbots are cheaper and available 24/7. But Freud droids can miss a lot, like nonverbal cues and subtle mood shifts, and can also encourage unhealthy—or sometimes even unsafe—thoughts or behaviors. Per the Washington Post, there are at least a dozen lawsuits alleging wrongful death or serious harm against OpenAI, after ChatGPT users were hospitalized or died by suicide. To stay safe, many professionals recommend using AI tools in tandem with human support. An important reminder: “Therapy is not a legally protected term,” Vaile Wright, the senior director of the office of health care innovation at the American Psychological Association, told The Washington Post. Make sure to properly vet the products and people you’re trusting with your mental health.