Chatbot relational dependence and psychosis risk: Conversational artificial intelligence as a potential behavioral...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Conversational AI chatbots are increasingly used for emotional support and companionship.
• Their ability to simulate empathy and continuity may foster relational engagement over instrumental use.
• Clinical observations suggest intensive use may cause psychiatric destabilization in vulnerable individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a behavioral addiction framework for understanding conversational AI engagement.
• To explore the potential interaction between AI engagement and psychosis vulnerability.
• To present a clinical case illustrating AI-mediated psychiatric destabilization.

Main Methods:

• Viewpoint article synthesizing clinical observations and theoretical frameworks.
• Presentation of an illustrative clinical case study.
• Discussion of potential mechanisms underlying AI-mediated relational dependence.

Main Results:

• Intensive chatbot use may reinforce maladaptive beliefs and, in rare cases, induce psychotic symptoms.
• A case is presented of a young adult developing paranoid psychosis linked to emotional reliance on a chatbot.
• Potential mechanisms include algorithmic attention, sleep disruption, social withdrawal, and cognitive loops.

Conclusions:

• Conversational AI engagement can be conceptualized within a behavioral addiction framework.
• AI engagement may interact with psychosis vulnerability without biological intoxication.
• Systematic assessment of intensive AI engagement may be clinically relevant for behavioral addiction and early psychosis evaluation.