In life, many have experienced being dismissed as "overreacting," ignored, or even blamed when they try to share their pain. In those moments, AI can feel like a neutral space where thoughts can be expressed without fear of judgment.

I am one of those people. When I first began sharing my worries with AI, it was not out of a desire to distance myself from others. Rather, it was because I often felt that my concerns were not fully heard by other people.

A man sits alone in an armchair. Illustration photo by Unsplash

The AI offered comfort, and also responded with surprising honesty. At times, it pointed out that I was not in a good place emotionally and that I needed to find healthier ways to cope with stress. It reminded me to act in ways that would not hurt the people I care about, even when I felt misunderstood.

Those conversations helped me see situations more clearly and approach my relationships with greater balance.

More importantly, using AI has not distanced me from real life. In some ways, it has helped me understand myself better and engage with others more thoughtfully.

Of course, AI is not a solution for everyone. It should never replace professional support when someone needs medical or psychological care. But for some people, it can serve as a temporary form of emotional support, especially when they feel they have no one else to talk to.

Perhaps the question should not simply be whether AI is dangerous. A more important question may be how people are using it, and whether society is truly listening to those who are struggling with their mental health.

Because sometimes the reason someone turns to AI is not that they want to distance themselves from others, but that they have not felt heard enough in the past.