How do psychologist bots work? Let’s look at the pros and cons

Recently, many people feel depressed, but few seek help from a specialist. That’s why there are now more and more tools for self-help: feeling diaries, books with specific tools, virtual assistants.

Scientists from Stanford University have developed an application that helps to cope with anxiety and stress. A chatbot provides psychological support, monitors the user’s mood and signs of depression, offers to perform psychological practices, listens and gives advice. There are such developments in Russia too, and here is what they can do.

psychologist, coach, goal achievement expert

Computers and technology have long been used to diagnose diseases, develop abilities and thinking. So why not use technology for other purposes?

What are the benefits of helper bots for mental health?

They remove the barrier before a personal meeting with a specialist

It can be difficult to open up to another person, which is why many people never dare to consult a psychologist. Plus there are a lot of internal worries: what and how to say, whether the psychologist will not tell someone all the personal secrets. With technologies, everything is easier – they are perceived as impersonal algorithms that are simple and clear to communicate with.

They can become an incentive to go to a personal therapy with a specialist

Communication with a chatbot may start as a game, a desire to learn something new, but it is possible that over time there will be a need for full-fledged therapy. A person will become more aware of his or her needs and realize that progress requires face-to-face meetings with a specialist. It’s like in sports: you can train as an amateur for a long time, but to achieve high results, you usually need to work with a coach.

Grigory: Computers and technology have long been used to diagnose diseases, develop abilities and thinking. So why not use technology for other purposes? For example, to take care of mental health. Various tests are used for psychological diagnostics, and you can take them on your phone without any problems.

Grigory: I am sure that sooner or later we will start creating sophisticated technological products in the field of psychology that will really help many people solve their problems. For example, we will use the meta-universe as a tool to work through deep personal problems. We think in pictures, many imprints (past experiences, beliefs) in our heads can be visualized. Therefore, by recreating a traumatic situation, deep experiences can be worked through.

What are the disadvantages of chatbots?

Technology will not help in a personalized approach

There is such a rule: “A psychologist follows the client’s energy”. That is, he works with what the client brings to the therapeutic field, to the meeting. Therefore, a specialist can be flexible enough to emphasize some important things and transfer them from the client’s unconscious reaction into consciousness. It is difficult to realize this in a chatbot.

It’s like going to the gym: the exercise machine won’t be able to give you any answers, and the treadmill will just show you the numbers, but won’t tell you anything about the technique of doing the exercise. That is, the result depends entirely on you. If you work with a personal trainer, he will follow you and correct the training. The difference is tangible.

Most of the time during consultations is observing the client’s behavior, his feelings, emotions, and states.

Grigory: A timely question: “What do you feel when you do this? Why is it important to you?” – can change the course of therapy and bring awareness of the problem to a new level. Emotions and feelings, the ability to work with them, to pay attention to them at the right moment – this is not about computers. It is emotional intelligence that distinguishes humans from technology.

For many years it was said that face-to-face meetings in cafes with loved ones would be replaced by social networks. But we still communicate in person, because it is a completely different emotion and energy. A lecture at the university, a meeting with a psychologist in the office, a cup of coffee with friends, a walk in the park with a loved one – smartphones and artificial intelligence can hardly replace the joy of live communication.