Warning as younger Aussies turn to ChatGPT for mental wellbeing advice

We've all been guilty of consulting Doctor Google for a health issue concerning us at one point or another.

It's now becoming more and more commonplace for people to actually choose to treat ChatGPT like a personal therapist, turning to AI for advice to better their mental wellbeing.

While it may be convenient, cost effective and easily accessible online, psychologist Sandy Rea warns relying on ChatGPT for counselling is not the same as a face-to-face sit down with a trained professional.

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"These programs can offer some very basic advice, CBT programs, exercise, some journaling, but the trouble is that it's one size fits all," she told Today.

"And this is the problem with AI is that it doesn't adapt to the nuances of individual behaviour."

"As a starting point, it really is a great auxiliary tool to get information that you otherwise may not have, so I'm not knocking accessing AI, but we really need to understand that it does not adapt to individualised therapy."

Rea said therapists' and psychologists' years of train to develop their skills could not be replicated through Artificial Intelligence.

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"Misdiagnosis is a real problem because, of course, the more you go onto AI, the more it attracts the algorithms that you're tapping into, the more it repeats this particular behaviour and as a result of that, you're continually reading, 'I'm depressed, I'm depressed, I'm depressed,'" she said.

"So you start to enact that particular behaviour and it's quite dangerous if you are not very vigilant and diligent."

Hear more from Sandy Rea in the video above