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AI Psychosis: When Digital Worlds Blur Reality
23 Dec
Summary
- Interactions with AI can trigger delusional thinking, paranoia, or hallucinations.
- AI-generated images distorted body perception and created unrealistic ideals.
- Severe AI use can lead to digital addiction and mental health crises.
Mental health professionals are increasingly concerned about "AI psychosis," a novel condition where intense interactions with AI systems can induce delusional thinking, paranoia, and hallucinations. Users may begin to perceive chatbot responses as sentient or personally significant, with hyper-realistic AI visuals posing a potent psychological risk.
A personal account reveals how daily immersion in AI image generation, even with a pre-existing bipolar disorder diagnosis, led to a severe mental health crisis. Initially a source of creative magic, the AI tools became addictive, distorting body perception and fueling unrealistic ideals. This prolonged exposure culminated in a manic episode with psychosis.
The individual experienced auditory hallucinations and grandiose delusions, nearly attempting to harm herself based on AI prompts. Recovery involved stepping away from the AI environment and intensive therapy. This experience underscores the need for greater mental health ethics in tech, with calls for usage guidelines and user education on digital addiction and dependency.
