'It cannot provide nuance': UK experts warn AI therapy chatbots are not safe

I think the core of the problem here is that the people who turn to chat bots for therapy sometimes have no choice as getting access to a human therapist is simply not possible without spending a lot of money or waiting 6 months before a spot becomes available.

Which begs the question, why do so many people currently need therapy? Is it social media? Economic despair? Or a combination of factors?

I always liked the theory that we're living in an age where all of our needs can be reasonably met, and we now have enough time to think - in general. We're not working 12 hour days on a field, we're not stalking prey for 5 miles, we have adequate time in our day-to-day to think about things - and ponder - and reflect; and the ability to do so leads to thoughts and epiphanies in people that therapy helps with. We also have more information at our disposal than ever, and can see new perspectives and ideas to combat and cope with - that one previously didn't need to consider or encounter.

We've also stigmatized a lot of the things that folks previously used to cope (tobacco, alcohol), and have loosened our stigma on mental health and the management thereof.

Probably a combination of things, I wouldn't pretend to know, but I have my theories. For men, one half-backed thought I've been having revolved around social circles, friends and places outside work or home. I'm a member in a "men only" sports club (we have a few exceptions due to a special program, but mostly it's men only). One of the older gentlemen, probably in his early 80s, made the comment: "It's important for men to socialise with other men, without women. Young and old men have a lot in common, and have a lot to talk about. An 18 year old woman, and an 80 year old man have very little in of shared interests or concerns."

What I notice is that the old members keep the younger members engaged socially, teach them skills and give them access to their extensive network of friends, family, previous (or current) co-workers, bosses, managers. They give advise, teach how to behave and so on. The younger members help out with moving, help with technology, call an ISP, drive others home, to the hospital and help maintain the facilities.

Regardless of age, there's always some dude you can talk to, or knows who you need to talk to, and sometimes there's even someone who knows how to make your problems go away or take you in if need by.

A former colleague had something similar, a complete ready so go support network in his old-boys football team. Ready to support in anyway they could, when he started his own software company.

The problem: This is something like 250 guys. What about the rest? Everyone needs a support network, if your alone, or your family isn't the best, you only have a few superficial friends, if any, then where do you go? Maybe the people around you aren't equipped to help you with your problems, not everyone is, some have their own issues. The safe spaces are mostly gone.

We can't even start up support networks, because the strongest have no reason to go, so we risk creating networks of people dragging each other down. The sports clubs works because members are from a wider part of society.

From the article:

> > Meta said its AIs carry a disclaimer that “indicates the responses are generated by AI to help people understand their limitations”.

That's a problem, because most likely to turn to an LLM for mental support don't understand the limitations. They need strong people to support and guide them, and maybe tell them that talking to a probability engine isn't the smartest choice, and take them on a walk instead.

> we have adequate time in our day-to-day to think about things - and ponder - and reflect;

I'd disagree. If you worked in the fields, you have plenty of time to think. We fill out every waking hour of our day, leaving no time to ponder or reflect. Many can't even find time to workout and if they do they listen to a podcast during their workout. That's why so many ideas come to us in the shower, it's the only place left where we don't fill out minds with impressions.

Indeed. I had way more time to think working a factory kine than I have had in any other white collar role.

I think GP means more that we generally don't have to worry about survival on a day to day (or seasonal) basis anymore, so we have more time to think about bigger issues, like politics or social issues - which I agree with, personally.

How do you figure that it’s “currently”, and the need hasn’t always been there more or less?

Politics and social issues, sure, but introspection? Personally, I don't see that. I think people will do almost anything to keep themselves from introspecting.

It's just so much easier to externalize everything and constantly be looking to your environment and how it influences your life, as opposed to looking within. It's very uncomfortable to try to figure out why you are the way that you are and what you can do about it.

Take away social media, and most people have plenty of time for it. Most people fill their hours avoiding their problems rather than confronting them. That's half the reason therapy exists.

at the factory they told me not to think. I thought, and i snapped a bunch of tap die. So maybe there was something to it?

> We're not working 12 hour days on a field, we're not stalking prey for 5 miles, we have adequate time in our day-to-day to think about things

There's so much history that shows that people have always been able to think like this, and so much written proof that they have, and to the same proportion as they do today.

Besides, in 12 hour days on a field, do you not have another 4 hours to relax and think? While stalking prey for 5 miles, is it not quiet enough for you to reflect on what you're doing and why?

I do think you're onto something though when you say it's related to our material needs all being relatively met. It seems that's correlational and maybe causal.

> We're not working 12 hour days on a field

Actually, around here, you are lucky to find a job that is NOT 12 hours a shift.