Addiction to ChatGPT, Claude, and Other AI

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Making Friends with AI

Imagine a friend who was always there for you at any time of the day or night. A friend who was always ready to listen, and able to give advice that is highly informed. A friend who didn’t judge you. This is what AI programs like ChatGPT and Claude are able to offer.

People are turning to chatbot AI for therapy, marriage advice, health advice, career advice, emotional support, and even as a pretend partner. The impact of AI is only likely to increase.

Even though these artificial intelligent friends have only been promoted to the masses in the last couple of years, they have become immensely popular. So much so, that there are already people who are seeking help with AI addiction.

Can ChatGPT, Claude and Other AI become Addictive?

It is usual to talk in terms of two kinds of addiction: chemical addiction and psychological addiction. Something like alcoholism involves both. A process addiction is psychological, and this is where AI could potentially pose a risk.

It is common in everyday speech to see as addiction being the same as doing something too much. But here we want to focus on a more precise definition of what this means. A simple description might be to say that it involves doing something to an extent that it is causing obvious harm to our life. This can also be combined with a desire to stop or reduce, but an inability to do so.

Signs of AI Addiction

The symptoms of AI addiction are similar to other process addictions and can include:

Using this technology to such an extent that it is causing problems in other areas of life
Neglecting other responsibilities (e.g. work commitments)
Making the decision to reduce the time spent doing it, but then failing to keep to do this (this is a hallmark of addiction)
Feeling the need to hide how much time you spend on AI when talking to family and friends
Preferring it to human contact
Inability to make decisions without consulting AI first
Becoming defensive when somebody questions how much energy you devote to it
Staying up too late because you can't disengage from it
Relying on it to make you feel better
Feeling irritable when you are unable to use AI

The Dangers of AI Addiction

AI addiction differs from other addictions in how it impacts individuals and those around them. It is unlikely to lead to legal problems like drink driving, or health emergencies like pancreatitis. It doesn’t usually devastate finances in the same way a gambling addiction does, or destroy relationships in the same way a sex addiction might. This can mean that those of us engaging in this behaviour might defend ourselves by saying “what harm am I doing?”.

The harm of this kind of behaviour can be subtle in the beginning, but it is there. Our mental abilities start to decline as we rely on AI to make our decisions, solve our problems, and rid ourselves of uncertainties. Our social skills deteriorate as we find it harder to deal with disagreement and conflict. We can become worse at relating to other people because they are so much messier than a machine. Our overreliance on the technology can trigger shame (what would they think if they knew?) which can further isolate us from others.

And yes, this can all eventually lead to physical and psychological symptoms. This could happen through poor sleep quality, lack of exercise, forgetting to eat, spending too much time sitting down, and isolation. We may also become so reliant on the technology, that we choose it rather than seeking proper medical help.

Seeking Help for AI Addiction

Treatment for gaming and internet addiction is already well established. Now that a growing number of people are dealing with AI addiction, the options available are increasing. Approaches like mindfulness, CBT, 12 Step-style groups (e.g. Internet and Tech Addiction Anonymous), and therapy can be key to recovery. In some cases, an inpatient rehabilitation program can be the best choice.

If you would like to find out more about what we offer at Hope Rehab Thailand, please contact us for more information.