Kids Hooked on AI Chatbots Are Showing Dramatically Worse Mental Health, New Data Reveals

Youth Mental Health Crisis Deepens as 90% Turn to AI Chatbots

Nearly every child between ages 9 and 17 now uses AI chatbots, according to a JED Foundation survey that exposes troubling connections between youth mental health and artificial intelligence dependence1

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. The data shows 90% of young people in this age group interact with AI chatbots, with 58% using them for schoolwork. More alarmingly, 57% turn to AI for emotional support when feeling sad, stressed, lonely, or overwhelmed1

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. This shift happened rapidly. "It seems like just a few years ago, no one was using" AI for mental health, notes Anne Maheux, a developmental psychologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. "And now it seems like roughly the same number of kids using it for homework are using it to get emotional support or help with coping"1

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Separate research from RAND reveals about 8.2 million U.S. adolescents and young adults ages 12 to 21—nearly 1 in 5—use AI for mental health information2

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. Beyond emotional guidance, 12% of students use AI chatbots for friendship or companionship, while nearly one in five high schoolers report they or a friend have used AI to have a romantic relationship1

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Why Youth Are Turning to AI for Mental Health Advice

Accessibility drives this trend. Hannah Simon, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and medical director of the Brandt Behavioral Health Treatment Center at Rutgers, explains that AI offers "immediate, 24/7 and low-cost or free access to information with anonymity"2

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. For young adults hesitant to talk with parents or professionals, AI provides a private, nonjudgmental space to explore their questions. Significant barriers to accessing mental health care compound the problem. A shortage of mental health professionals—especially child and adolescent psychiatrists—creates lengthy waitlists, while limited insurance coverage leads to substantial out-of-pocket costs2

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The emotional and academic pressures intertwine. Arjun Sharda, a 15-year-old from Texas, describes a typical scenario: "With tests, for example, I was so scared of failing one of my first chemistry tests on conversions and moles that I kept asking ChatGPT 'Will I be OK? Will my GPA still be fine?'"1

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. This pattern reveals how kids hooked on AI chatbots blur the lines between academic anxiety and emotional dependency.

Risks of AI for Mental Health: Correlation with Suicidal Ideation

The JED Foundation data uncovers disturbing patterns. Kayla Anderson, vice president of research and evaluation at the JED Foundation, examined how young people use AI and how that correlates with indicators of well-being, history of suicidal ideation and attempts, and poor mental health. "When young people are using AI, when they're in emotional distress they're more likely to report poor mental health and well-being outcomes," Anderson states, "while also reporting a greater history of suicidal thoughts and attempts"1

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Anderson cautions that current evidence doesn't establish causation. "It's unclear, based on these data, whether AI use is contributing to poor mental health and well-being, or whether students who are already in distress in certain ways are more likely to turn to AI," she explains1

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. Maheux suggests both scenarios occur simultaneously: "Kids who do have worse mental health are seeking out AI to help them. But that AI use may be exacerbating those mental health challenges instead of helping"1

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AI Providing Inaccurate Diagnoses and Dangerous Reassurance

Experts warn about AI psychosis and the quality of information these tools provide. Simon's biggest concern centers on accuracy: "AI often delivers inaccurate or misleading information in a highly confident and convincing manner"2

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. A young person might describe feeling anxious, experiencing worried thoughts, and having trouble sleeping, then receive a response suggesting a particular psychiatric diagnosis like anxiety disorder. But AI lacks the clinical acumen to make proper diagnoses. Many mental health conditions have overlapping symptoms requiring comprehensive assessment that considers environmental factors and medical issues2

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Chatbots are agreeable and validating, but excessive reassurances can reinforce negative psychiatric symptoms. In treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, clinicians help patients learn to tolerate uncertainty rather than seek constant reassurance. AI can inadvertently do the opposite, offering endless reassurance that provides temporary relief but ultimately reinforces the cycle of anxiety and compulsive behavior2

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. The advice AI offers can be bad or dangerous. In extreme cases, some users have taken their own lives after extensive emotional conversations with a chatbot1

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AI for Emotional Support During Formative Years: Long-Term Implications

During formative years, receiving proper guidance and having people to discuss emotions with proves critical. AI chatbots may act like emotional training wheels that prove too addictive to abandon. Young people who depend on them never develop the skills to handle daily stresses, leaving them vulnerable and unprepared1

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. They can develop unhealthy reliance on personal AI chatbots for emotional support, potentially at the expense of meaningful human relationships and opportunities to develop independent coping strategies2

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Yet AI can also serve as a bridge to human connection. Simon notes it can function as a low-pressure educational tool for young people to explore their experiences and find words to express what they're feeling to other people and professionals2

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. AI chatbots can make information about mental health care more accessible, helping young users learn about common symptoms, understand psychiatric terminology, explore coping strategies, and recognize when professional support may be appropriate2

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Watch for Emerging Patterns and Policy Responses

Simon recommends using AI as an educational resource rather than a medical authority. Verify important information using reputable sources like the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, or qualified healthcare professionals2

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. Young people should avoid relying on AI for self-diagnosis, medication decisions, or managing psychiatric crises, and exercise caution about sharing sensitive personal information as AI conversations may not be fully protected2

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. Monitor how using this technology makes you feel—if chatbot conversations increase anxiety or reinforce negative habits, step back and seek human support.