Editor’s note: This story was produced for the independent Mosaic Journalism Program for Bay Area high school students, an intensive course in journalism. Students in the program report and photograph stories under the guidance of professional journalists.
High school student Amrita Venkatesh remembers the night she spent panicking in her room, stressing about college admissions and the fate of her education.
As she frantically looked over her transcript and spiraled into a tunnel of doubt, she turned to ChatGPT, her most convenient source of support. When she typed in her worries and fears, the program responded with just the consolation she was looking for: a reminder to calm down. It offered some college application advice.
For many teenagers, digital tools such as programs that use artificial intelligence, or AI, have become a go-to option for emotional support. As they learn to navigate and cope in a world where mental health care demands are high, AI is an easy and inexpensive choice.
Venkatesh, who will be a senior at American High School in Fremont in the fall, said she always ends up convincing herself she doesn’t need therapy. “I would rather take a different approach than pay that price. The cost of therapy isn’t changing any time soon.”
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Luz Campuzano, senior recreation leader at the Alum Rock Youth Center in San Jose, works with teens daily and said she isn’t surprised by this new coping mechanism. “It’s easier, right? They don’t want to tell their parents that they need help. Their parents, especially in the Latino community, shy away from that. They’re kind of like ‘No, handle it yourself, grow up, suck it up.’”
Downloading free apps that utilize AI mental health support, such as Calm and Fabulous, is becoming more common among teenagers in the Bay Area.
However, Jasmeet Rakhra, a certified substance abuse counselor, said that relying on a robot for responsive communication — especially when you are at your most vulnerable — raises a few concerns.
“AI isn’t a bad tool to use because it can help understand the person’s mental health and be able to give out tips and coping skills,” she said. “But because it’s a robot it has no feelings, so there’s no empathy or compassion. When talking to a person, they can understand when someone is feeling upset or angry, but with a …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
