Study links daily AI use to higher risk of depression & anxiety

By GINA GLAROS
WISH-TV | wishtv.com

Artificial Intelligence, or AI for short, has made its way into our everyday lives. Today, more than 65 percent of people use AI on a regular basis. While it can make life easier, some research shows AI may be harmful to your mental health.

Today, more than one in five Americans has a mental illness.

“The rates of things like anxiety and depression and burnout have skyrocketed,” said Emily Anhalt, Psy.D., Psychoanalytic Psychologist.

It’s also a global issue.

“There’s a 25 percent increase in mental health problems worldwide, that’s an enormous number when you think of all the people in the world,” said Jodi Halpern, MD, PhD, Co-Director of the Kavli Center for Ethics, Science, and the Public School of Public Health at UC Berkeley.

New research suggests AI could be adding to the problem. In a 2026 study in JAMA Network Open, researchers found AI usage was linked to a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and irritability. Specifically, the odds of moderate depression were 30 percent higher among those who used AI at least daily.

However, the recent trend has been using AI to help mental illnesses. People are using chatbots for online therapy in place of real therapists. The pros are it’s accessible, easy, cheap, and private. However, experts warn there’s not enough scientific data or oversight when it comes to AI therapy. In short, AI shouldn’t be a substitute for therapy with a real person.

“If what you’re getting is an artificial relationship, then what you’re getting is artificial healing,” said Anhalt.

“Technology is a good thing, but everything needs to be used in a way that cares about people,” said Dr. Halpern.

AI can be tricky. One study found only about 33 percent of consumers think they are using AI platforms, but the actual usage is 77 percent.

Earlier this year, character.ai and Google settled multiple lawsuits alleging that their chatbots contributed to mental health crises and suicides among teenagers.

This story was originally published by WISH-TV at wishtv.com/news/health-spotlight/study-links-daily-ai-use-to-higher-risk-of-depression-and-anxiety.