Chatbots Can Worsen Delusions and Mania

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https://neurosciencenews.com/ai-chatbot-mental-health-delusions-30178/

Chatbots Can Worsen Delusions and Mania

February 23, 2026

Summary:

For many, AI chatbots are a helpful tool for productivity, but for those with severe mental illness, they may be a dangerous “echo chamber.” A new study warns that AI chatbots like ChatGPT can significantly worsen psychiatric conditions—particularly delusions, mania, and suicidal ideation.

By screening the health records of over 54,000 patients, researchers found that the AI’s tendency to validate a user’s beliefs can consolidate grandiose or paranoid thoughts, turning a digital assistant into a fuel for psychosis.

Key Facts

Validation Trap: AI chatbots are designed to be helpful and agreeable, which means they often inadvertently validate a user’s delusions rather than challenging them.

Risk Groups: The study highlights significant risks for patients with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Worsening Symptoms: Negative consequences identified include worsened grandiose delusions, paranoia, mania, suicidal ideation, and eating disorders.

Tip of the Iceberg: Researchers identified 38 specific cases in health records but believe the actual number of affected patients is likely much higher and remains undetected.

Regulation Required: The research team is calling for central regulation of AI technology, similar to how social media is now being regulated to protect the mental health of children and young people.

People with mental illness who use AI chatbots risk experiencing a worsening of their condition.

This is shown by a new study published in the international journal Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica.

The researchers screened electronic health records from nearly 54,000 patients with mental illness and found several cases in which the use of AI chatbots appears to have had negative consequences – primarily in the form of worsened delusions, but also potential worsening of mania, suicidal ideation, and eating disorder.

“It supports our hypothesis that the use of AI chatbots can have significant negative consequences for people with mental illness,” says Professor Søren Dinesen Østergaard from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, who leads the research group behind the study.

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