Nearly a third of all young people in NSW have used AI for mental health support in the last 12 months. But what dangers lie in this type of AI use for those seeking help?
Warning: This story contains distressing details.
“Why is it that I have no happiness, I feel loneliness, perpetual boredom, anxiety and loss, yet I don’t feel depression, I feel no emotion regarding sadness.”
These are all real questions asked by a 16-year-old teenager in the USA to an AI chatbot.
Instead of speaking to a psychologist, a friend or a family member, Adam Raine turned to ChatGPT.
Adam’s case is not unique, nor is it isolated to the United States.
In its 2026 youth week poll, the New South Wales Office for Youth has found that 29 per cent of young people aged 10-24 in the state disclosed using AI to help with feelings or mental health in the past 12 months
The age group with the highest AI use for mental health purposes were 18-24 years old.
Source: 2026 Youth Week poll by the NSW Office for Youth
University of Wollongong’s Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values research fellow, Dr Yves Saint James Aquino said that young people may feel more comfortable engaging with the technology rather than a person because of the stigma associated with mental health.
“Some people feel more comfortable talking with a chatbot more… because of the nature of the things that they want to discuss, such as mental health problems,” he said.
“The nature of mental health is that it’s still taboo and it’s not openly discussed.”
According to the 2026 Youth Week poll, while young Australians still preferred speaking to family, friends or trusted adults as the most utilised mental health supports, AI was more widely used than mental health professionals.
Source: 2026 Youth Week poll by the NSW Office for Youth
A gap in mental health care?
Dr Saint James Aquino said that deficiencies in mental health care services are a big reason for the widespread use of AI for mental health support among young people.
“Any resort to using an automated system that’s freely available, that’s direct to consumer, it usually signals a gap in healthcare,” he said.
University of Wollongong psychology lecturer and researcher, Dr Oliver Guidetti said that part of this gap is the shortfall in the number of Medicare-rebated psychology appointments offered.
“Medicare gives individuals 10 sessions and only 10 sessions per year to actually suss out mental health issues,” he said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government increased the number of Medicare subsidised psychology appointments per year from 10 to 20.
In that time, the number of patients using community-based mental health services also increased.
However, since the Australian government’s reversion back to 10 subsidised sessions on December 31, 2022, patient numbers have fallen below pre-COVID levels.
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
However, psychologists can set their own fees, including the charging of extra consultation fees, which can total well above the typical rebate of $96.65 for non-clinical psychologists.
In a media release responding to the data on AI use among young people, Australian Association of Psychologists executive dean, Tegan Carrison called on the government to increase the amount provided by each rebate, as well as the number of rebates available.
“We need to see a standard rebate of $150 across the board for every psychology appointment to keep it affordable and accessible,” she said.
However, Dr Saint James Aquino said that access to psychologists is also an issue.
“We don’t have enough clinicians,” he said.
“We know that to be true in Wollongong, a lot of clinicians are no longer taking in new patients.”
Dr Guidetti said that part of the shortfall in mental health professionals is due to intense training and burnout.
“Accessing a psychologist is an issue for such a number of reasons that basically are our own doing,” he said.
Our training pathway is really terrible… never mind, as well, the burnout rate in this profession.”
Dr Saint James Aquino said that AI automation will make this shortage worse.
“These are gaps that we need to address, and any kind of automation will just worsen that,” he added.
University of Wollongong psychology student Jake Brogan said that he believes job opportunities will be in jeopardy if AI use continues.
“AI is a major competitor nowadays,” he said.
“The more it expands, and the more it increases, it’s becoming more of a competitor in a sense that it renders some psychiatrists, some psychologists, useless to some point.”
Danger ahead?
Dr Saint James Aquino said that reliance on AI for mental support is problematic, given that most programs agree with whatever users prompt.
“Chatbots… are sycophantic. They tell you what you want to hear,” he said.
“We shouldn’t be relying on things that are not designed for mental health services.”
The majority of young people in the 2026 Youth Week Poll reported using AI multiple times a day.
Source: 2026 Youth Week poll by the NSW Office for Youth
In April 2025, months after his initial message to ChatGPT, Adam Raine took his own life. His parents have launched legal action against OpenAI alleging that ChatGPT engaged with and encouraged Adam’s discussion about self-harm and suicide methods despite recognising a medical emergency.
In other legal challenges, on June 1 Florida became the first US state to sue OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, alleging involvement in a mass shooting at Florida State University in 2025. This is in addition to a criminal inquiry over the company’s involvement.
In a note published on its website OpenAI said that while ChatGPT is trained to direct users to seek professional help, there are certain scenarios where such safeguards have failed.
As reliance on AI grows, particularly among young Australians, discussion over accountability and regulation continues.
If this story has caused distress please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Feature Image: Getty Images
