Young People and AI: Seeking Mental Health Support via ChatGPT

A growing number of adolescents and young adults in the United States are turning to generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT for mental health support, according to a nationally representative study published in JAMA Network Open. The research, conducted by a team from Brown University School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, and the nonprofit research organization RAND, provides the first comprehensive data on how frequently young people rely on large language models (LLMs) when experiencing emotional distress.

One in Eight Young People Seek Mental Health Advice from AI

The study surveyed 1,058 adolescents and young adults aged 12 to 21 between February and March 2025. It found that approximately one in eight respondents—12.5%—had used AI chatbots for mental health advice. Usage was significantly higher among young adults aged 18 to 21, with nearly one in five (20%) reporting they had turned to LLMs for support when feeling sad, angry, or nervous.

Among those who used chatbots for mental health purposes, two-thirds engaged with the tools at least monthly, and more than 93% described the advice they received as helpful. The findings suggest that AI-driven support is filling a gap for young people who may not have access to traditional counseling or who prefer the immediacy and perceived privacy of digital interactions.

“There has been a lot of discussion that adolescents were using ChatGPT for mental health advice, but to our knowledge, no one had ever quantified how common this was.”

Ateev Mehrotra, Professor at Brown University School of Public Health and study co-author

Why Young People Are Turning to AI for Support

The study’s authors highlight several factors driving the adoption of AI chatbots for mental health. Chief among them is accessibility: AI tools are available 24/7, require no appointment, and often feel less intimidating than traditional therapy. For adolescents who may be hesitant to discuss personal struggles with a human counselor—or who face long wait times for professional care—chatbots offer an immediate alternative.

The perceived anonymity of AI interactions also plays a role. Young people who fear stigma or judgment may feel more comfortable confiding in a chatbot than in a therapist or even a friend. This is particularly true for those dealing with sensitive issues, such as trauma related to violence, as seen in a separate study from the Youth Endowment Fund in England and Wales. That research found that 40% of 13- to 17-year-olds affected by youth violence had turned to AI chatbots for mental health support, often because they felt conventional services lacked empathy or were unavailable when needed.

Jonathan Cantor, a senior policy researcher at RAND and lead author of the JAMA Network Open study, described the findings as striking. “I think the most striking finding was that already, in late 2025, more than 1 in 10 adolescents and young adults were using LLMs for mental health advice, and that it was higher among young adults,” he said. “I find those rates remarkably high.”

Concerns and Unanswered Questions

While the study underscores the growing role of AI in youth mental health, it also raises critical questions about the quality and safety of the advice being provided. Unlike licensed therapists, chatbots are not bound by professional ethical standards or trained to recognize severe distress that may require immediate intervention. The study did not evaluate the accuracy or appropriateness of the responses given by AI tools, leaving open the possibility that some advice could be misleading or even harmful.

Experts have also cautioned that chatbots should not be seen as a replacement for human care. A letter published alongside the Youth Endowment Fund’s findings argued that “children at risk need a human, not a bot.” The concern is particularly acute for young people dealing with complex trauma, where the nuanced understanding of a trained professional may be irreplaceable.

Despite these concerns, the data suggests that AI chatbots are already an entrenched part of the mental health landscape for young people. The JAMA Network Open study notes that the U.S. Continues to face a youth mental health crisis, with nearly one in five adolescents experiencing a major depressive episode in the past year and 40% receiving no mental health care at all. AI tools may serve as a stopgap for those who might otherwise go without support entirely.

How Universities and Mental Health Professionals Are Responding

The rise of AI-driven mental health support has prompted institutions to rethink their approaches to student care. At Harvard University, for example, staff from the Counseling and Mental Health Service (CAMHS) have begun exploring how to integrate AI tools into their support systems while mitigating risks. A recent talk by Dr. Peter Forkner, a psychologist and former director of the Bentley University Counseling Center, addressed the challenges and opportunities presented by generative AI in higher education.

Forkner, who has developed AI-driven clinical training tools, noted that about 22% of college-age adults already use AI for mental health or emotional support. Among those with pre-existing mental health conditions, that number jumps to 49%, with two-thirds of users engaging with AI tools at least monthly. His presentation, part of a conference series on reimagining behavioral health in higher education, highlighted the need for universities to adapt to the reality that students are increasingly turning to AI for help.

The Future of AI in Mental Health

The JAMA Network Open study’s findings arrive at a time of rapid evolution in both AI technology and mental health care delivery. While chatbots like ChatGPT are not designed to replace therapists, their growing use among young people signals a shift in how mental health support is accessed and perceived. For many adolescents, AI may be the first—and sometimes only—resource they turn to in moments of distress.

As AI tools become more sophisticated, researchers and policymakers will need to address critical questions: How can these tools be regulated to ensure safety and efficacy? What role should they play in a broader mental health care ecosystem? And how can young people be educated about the limitations of AI-driven advice?

For now, the data is clear: AI chatbots are no longer a fringe experiment but a mainstream resource for young people navigating mental health challenges. Whether this trend represents a positive development or a cause for concern may depend on how society chooses to respond.