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165 points distalx | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0s | source
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rdm_blackhole ◴[] No.43947641[source]
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?

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HaZeust ◴[] No.43947926[source]
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.

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1. 90s_dev ◴[] No.43954630{3}[source]
> 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.