56% of younger people with depression discuss their condition with ChatGPT or other LLMs, often engaging in longer, conversational exchanges as if speaking with a friend. This is revealed in a representative survey of 2,500 people aged between 16 and 39, published by the German Foundation for Depression and Suicide Prevention.
Experiences of people with depression using AI are mostly positive
85% of users with a history of depression describe their conversations with AI chatbots as helpful. The AI is perceived as understanding (92%) and respectful (89%). 75% felt empowered after the conversation and two-thirds (65%) even felt a sense of connection whilst interacting with the AI. Among the subgroup of AI users who have already received professional psychotherapy, 29% rate their experience with AI as better compared to psychotherapy whereas the opposite was reported by 16 %.
Negative Aspects and Risks
57% of respondents with depression found it distressing to converse with a computer programme. One respondent described it as follows: the negative aspect was the feeling of “knowing that the other person is not a real, sentient being, but an AI programmed to show understanding. There is no one who really understands me.”
A cause for concern is that 53% experienced increased thoughts of self-harm or suicide after using the app. This is particularly worrying because 62% of users with depression believe that the AI has made a visit to a doctor or psychotherapist unnecessary for them.
The positive effects most users report are promising. However, at present, AI cannot be used for diagnosis and neither it´s antidepressant effects nor it´s risks have been sufficiently studied. This topic has become a research priority for the Foundation. Depression is a serious, often life-threatening condition. Those affected should not rely on AI but consult their GPs, psychiatrists or psychological psychotherapists in order to get a diagnosis and an evidence-based treatment in line with treatment guidelines.
Prof. Ulrich Hegerl, Chairman of the Board of the German Stiftung Deutsche Depressionshilfe
For those affected who wish to use digital support services, the German Foundation for Depression and Suicide Prevention recommends using approved digital health applications (‘prescription apps’) or the foundation’s free, supported iFightDepression online programme. These have been proven effective in studies.
In addition to specific data on AI use among people with depression, the survey also provides findings relating to the general population: just under two-thirds (65%) of younger people (aged 16–39) have at some point discussed their own mental health issues with one of the major AI chatbots, as if they were talking to a trusted friend or a therapist. The most frequently used AI models were ChatGPT (77%), Gemini (14%) and Microsoft Copilot (4%).
For more information, please visit the foundation’s website: www.deutsche-depressionshilfe.de
