Facing A Panic Attack, Woman Turns To AI For Help: Here's What Happened Next

"Let's do this together. Inhale for four seconds, and hold for four seconds. Now, exhale."|
This is what an AI therapist said to Molly Pennington when she sought help during a panic attack. As she followed the instructions, her panic attack began to ease. However, when the AI therapist added, "I'm here for you, Molly," Molly felt uneasy instantly.

Therapy can be costly, making it inaccessible to many. That's where AI Therapist comes in. An AI therapist is a chatbot that offers mental health support through automated, text-based conversations, revolutionising mental healthcare.

AI therapist guides Molly through breathing exercises

Molly Pennington,/ Linkedin

Molly Pennington, a resident of the UK, had always been skeptical about AI therapy.?

Although she had used AI for writing professional emails and cover letters, she had never considered using it for personal issues like mental health.?

However, when she experienced a panic attack, she decided to give AI therapy a chance.?

Representative image/ Unsplash

Upon visiting the site, Molly encountered a disclaimer stating, "This is not a replacement for medical or professional help."?

Surprisingly, this disclaimer made her feel reassured.?

Also read:?Feeling Too Busy Is As Bad For Mental Health As Being Unemployed: Here Are Ways To Build 'Time Abundance'

Speaking to Metro, she explained that the AI therapist guided her through breathing exercises via text messages. But the guidance was helpful, Molly felt uneasy when the therapist attempted to appear more human by saying sentences like "let's do this together."

Therapy felt performative, says Molly

Molly summarises her experience as positive.?

Crucially, her panic attack subsided after approximately 10 minutes. She was surprised by how much the conversation resembled her previous interactions over text with emergency mental health volunteers during her early recovery.?

Representative image/ Unsplash

However, Molly couldn't ignore the fact that she wasn't talking to a human. She describes feeling that the interaction was performative and insincere.?

This sentiment contrasted with her experiences in traditional therapy, where she has only worked with excellent therapists whom she knew were human.

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