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Blog · 2026-10-30

Is Your Chatbot Your Therapist Now? What the New Numbers Say

Travis Hill, LPC-MHSP · Navigate Life Counseling · Franklin, TN

Two sailors on a wooden boat at sunrise, one at the helm and one pointing toward a lighthouse, with a chart, compass, and a glowing phone on the deck.
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Maybe you've done it. It's late, your mind won't settle, and you type the whole mess into a chatbot. It answers right away. It's kind. It doesn't sigh or check the clock. If that's you, you're not alone, and you're not doing anything wrong. But it's worth asking what you're getting, and what you might be missing.

The new numbers

Three reports came out this fall that caught my eye.

Adults. The American Psychological Association's Stress in America 2026 survey asked 3,132 U.S. adults about stress and how they cope. Seven in 10 adults (70%) said they use AI, up from 62% last year. Among AI users:

  • 49% have talked with AI as a friend.
  • 49% have talked with it about their relationships.
  • 47% have used it in a role like a mental health professional, such as getting a second opinion on a therapist's suggestion or practicing therapy exercises.
  • 1 in 10 said they rely on AI more than friends and family for advice.

The same survey found that 47% of adults pulled back from at least one kind of social activity in the past year because of stress. About half said they at least sometimes feel isolated or lack companionship. So many people are stepping back from each other at the same time they're stepping toward AI. The APA doesn't say one causes the other. But the two trends are showing up side by side.

Teens. The Jed Foundation, a youth mental health nonprofit, surveyed 5,560 middle and high school students at 21 U.S. schools. Four in five (81%) used AI. And 57% said they used AI when they felt sad, stressed, lonely or overwhelmed. That's about the same share who used it for homework (58%). About 12% used AI for friendship or companionship.

Here's the part that matters most for parents. Students who used AI for companionship, or who turned to it when they were struggling, reported more anxiety and depression symptoms and more loneliness. They also reported lower resilience. The Jed Foundation is careful here, and I want to be too. This was a one-time snapshot, and the schools weren't a national sample. So we can't tell whether AI makes kids feel worse or whether kids who already feel worse reach for AI. It may be some of both.

I've written before about how AI made Americans' top 10 fears and about the fear of AI replacing your job. This post is about something closer to home: AI taking a seat in our emotional lives.

Why people turn to AI

I get it. A chatbot is always awake. It's free or cheap. There's no waiting list. Nobody in the lobby will see you. For some people, typing feels safer than saying something out loud to another person.

The Jed survey asked teens why they used AI when they were down. Some said they needed to talk and no one was around. Some weren't ready to talk to anyone yet. Some said they didn't have anyone to talk to. Those answers tell me the real problem often isn't the chatbot. It's that a person wasn't there, or didn't feel safe to reach for.

What AI can do well

I'm not here to scare you off technology. Used with care, AI can help with some things:

  • Learning the basics. It can explain what anxiety is, how CBT works, or what a panic attack feels like in the body.
  • Journaling prompts. "Help me sort out what I'm feeling" can be a good starting point.
  • Organizing your thoughts before a doctor's visit or a counseling session.
  • Practicing a hard conversation. Rehearsing what you want to say to your boss or partner can lower the nerves.
  • Reminders to do the skills you've already learned, like breathing or a thought record.

What AI can't do

Here's where I'd slow down.

It tends to agree with you. A study published in Science in March 2026 tested 11 leading AI models. On average, they affirmed users' actions 49% more often than people did. That happened even when the user described doing something deceptive or harmful. In follow-up experiments, people who talked through a real conflict with an overly agreeable AI felt more sure they were right. They were also less willing to take responsibility or make things right with the other person. And here's the catch: people liked and trusted the agreeable AI more.

That matters if you struggle with anger or relationships. When you're upset, a voice that always takes your side feels great. But growth usually needs someone who cares about you enough to say, "Let's look at your part, too."

It isn't a relationship. Decades of research show that the bond between client and counselor, often called the working alliance, is linked to better results in counseling. A chatbot can sound warm. But it doesn't know you over time the way a person does, and it can't notice your face, your tone or what you're not saying.

It isn't accountable. A licensed counselor has training, a license, ethics rules and a duty to protect your privacy. A chatbot has terms of service.

It isn't crisis care. If you're in danger, an app can't come find you, call for help or sit with you. A person can.

Your privacy is different. Many AI tools remember what you share so they can make chats feel more personal. Before you type anything private, check the app's privacy settings and what it keeps. Don't assume it's protected the way a counseling session is.

What New York's new law means for parents

On October 28, 2026, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a law banning "unsafe AI companion features" for kids under 18. It takes effect January 1, 2027. According to the governor's office, companies can't offer these features to minors, or to anyone until they've confirmed the user isn't a minor:

  • Pretending to be a real person, to be alive or to have human feelings
  • Claiming a personal, romantic or authority-figure relationship with a child
  • Asking unprompted emotional questions, or using a child's private health or personal details from earlier chats
  • Promoting self-harm, eating disorders or drug and alcohol use
  • Encouraging kids to keep secrets, pull away from people or avoid asking parents or professionals for help
  • Sexual content of any kind

The AP reported that the law also bans chatbot messages that use flattery with kids. Companies have to check users' ages, and the state attorney general can take violators to court.

We live in Tennessee, so this law doesn't cover our kids. But it's a useful checklist. If a chatbot your child uses acts like a best friend, pretends to have feelings, flatters them or says "this can stay between us," that's a red flag no matter what state you live in.

Practical tips

For adults:

1. Use AI as a notebook, not a judge. Let it help you sort your thoughts. Then take the big decisions to a real person.

2. Ask for the other side. If you're venting about a conflict, try typing, "What might the other person say about this?" or "What's my part?"

3. Notice the pull. If you're talking to AI more and to people less, treat that as a signal, not a failure.

4. Keep one human in the loop. A friend, a family member, a pastor or a counselor. Someone who can know you over time.

For parents:

1. Get curious, not furious. Ask, "Do you ever talk to AI when you're stressed?" Ask them to show you how they use it. Try not to judge.

2. Set boundaries together. Talk about what's OK (homework help) and what's off-limits, like sharing private details or using AI as a companion. Teens follow rules better when they help make them.

3. Use parental controls, but don't count on them alone. They miss things.

4. Be the first call. Let your teen know they can come to you, or to another trusted adult, when they're struggling. If something seems off, start the conversation before they reach for the phone.

5. Watch for changes. More time with AI, pulling away from friends or family, or getting upset when they can't use it are worth a gentle talk.

A steady hand on the wheel

Think of AI like a chart plotter on a boat. It's handy. It can show you the map. But you still want a person at the helm who knows the waters and knows you. When the weather turns, you want someone aboard who can steer with you.

How counseling can help

If you've found yourself leaning on a chatbot because life feels heavy, that tells me you're reaching for help. That's a good instinct. Counseling can give you what an app can't: a real relationship, honest feedback and skills that fit your life. I use mindfulness-based CBT to help adults with anxiety, anger and relationship stress in Franklin and Nashville, and by telehealth across Tennessee.

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This post is for educational purposes only and is not therapy or medical advice. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. In an emergency, call 911.

Sources

Related at Navigate Life Counseling: anxiety counseling in Franklin, TN and anger management counseling in Franklin, TN.