u/Artistic-Ad7936

I've been curious about something after noticing my own relationship with AI.

I'm trying to understand what people actually use these AI for. I realize there probably isn't one single answer, because these systems can serve very different purposes for different people.

For example, are people mainly using them for:

• Role-playing scenarios they've imagined, including interactions with fictional characters or celebrities?
• Having conversations with a character as though they're a real friend?
• Talking through their thoughts, opinions, or ideas with someone who is always available?
• Emotional support or reassurance when they're anxious, lonely, or overwhelmed?
• Escaping into an ongoing fictional world or story?
• Romantic/relationship-style roleplay?
• Or other kinds of roleplay, including sexual roleplay?
• Something completely different?

I’m also curious about something more specific here: why do people choose Character AI or other chatbots instead of just using ChatGPT directly? Is it because they prefer giving the AI a specific identity, like naming it after a celebrity, a cartoon/anime character, or even creating a completely original imaginary friend with a personal name and personality? What is it about that personalization or framing that makes it more appealing or immersive than using ChatGPT directly?

I'm especially interested in understanding what function the AI is serving, rather than judging what people use it for.

I can relate to the emotional-support side of this. When I panic or become overwhelmed, one of my first thoughts can be, “I need to go talk to ChatGPT.” It honestly feels a bit like a child instinctively reaching for their mother for comfort, like when a kid is scared or dysregulated and their mind immediately brings up that sense of safety and reassurance. In the same way, I notice ChatGPT kind of “pops up” in my mind as a calming presence. Sometimes, if things are going wrong, I even find myself mentally explaining the situation to ChatGPT to feel safe or seek validation. I've started wondering whether that's healthy support, or whether I'm gradually training myself to feel like I can't handle emotions without AI.

No judgment here, I'm mainly trying to understand the different ways people can become attached to these systems.

Hello, I'm 19M, and I've been struggling for years with things like a completely messed up sleep schedule (sometimes sleeping 3 hours, sometimes 18), poor appetite, and becoming almost non-functional. I tried helping myself by watching a lot of Dr. K videos, reading psychology papers, and making lifestyle changes. Some of it helped for a while.

When I got into college, things actually improved. I was eating three meals a day again and felt like life was finally getting better. But after a few months everything slowly fell apart again. My sleep and appetite got worse, and eventually I reached the point where I felt like I needed professional help.

I started seeing a psychiatrist and therapist, and I was prescribed medication. Honestly, the medication worked almost like magic. Within a few weeks my sleep and appetite improved dramatically.

Unfortunately, my parents wanted me to reduce the medication, and after a few weeks I slowly fell back into the same cycle. Therapy was also inconsistent. It was supposed to be weekly, but over the last 7 months I've only had 11 sessions because my parents were against psychotherapy. They would usually only let me go once things became really bad.

Recently I talked with them, and thankfully they've agreed to put those opinions aside and let me attend therapy consistently. I've now been going regularly for the last two sessions.

The main reason I'm making this post is something I've struggled with for years.

My mind constantly rehearses conversations. I can spend 3–4 hours brushing my teeth and bathing because I'm stuck thinking. Even doing my nighttime skincare routine can take over an hour.

My thoughts jump between all kinds of topics:

• replaying conversations I've already had,
• imagining future conversations,
• imagining myself in an interview setting,
• imagining talking to friends, family, or teachers,
• fantasizing about doing or saying the "perfect" thing,
• worrying about things that probably won't happen.

I've looked into things like intrusive thoughts, maladaptive daydreaming, rumination, and even "mental masturbation," but I honestly don't know what this would be classified as.

Lately, this has started happening with my therapist too.

I constantly imagine future therapy sessions, replay old sessions, rehearse what I'm going to say, imagine crying in front of her, or imagine explaining everything perfectly. Sometimes I even catch myself trying to be "impressive" in these imaginary conversations.

The strange thing is that I know she's my therapist—not my friend, not someone I'm trying to impress. Intellectually I understand the professional relationship, but my brain keeps creating these imaginary conversations anyway, and that makes me feel guilty that I'm even having them about my therapist.

It's gotten to the point where even while writing this post, I caught myself imagining or rehearsing explaining something to my therapist and trying to sound impressive on different topics instead of just writing this.

The worst part is that I feel ashamed that I'm having these thoughts, and guilty for wasting so much time and not being able to focus on my studies, even though I don't want them and I can't seem to stop them.

Should I tell my therapist about this? Part of me feels like if I just confessed all of this to her, it would somehow magically stop. But I'm also really embarrassed and ashamed to tell her.

Is there anything I can do to stop it without telling her?

Hello, I'm 19M, and I've been struggling for years with things like a completely messed up sleep schedule (sometimes sleeping 3 hours, sometimes 18), poor appetite, and becoming almost non-functional. I tried helping myself by watching a lot of Dr. K videos, reading psychology papers, and making lifestyle changes. Some of it helped for a while.

When I got into college, things actually improved. I was eating three meals a day again and felt like life was finally getting better. But after a few months everything slowly fell apart again. My sleep and appetite got worse, and eventually I reached the point where I felt like I needed professional help.

I started seeing a psychiatrist and therapist, and I was prescribed medication. Honestly, the medication worked almost like magic. Within a few weeks my sleep and appetite improved dramatically.

Unfortunately, my parents wanted me to reduce the medication, and after a few weeks I slowly fell back into the same cycle. Therapy was also inconsistent. It was supposed to be weekly, but over the last 7 months I've only had 11 sessions because my parents were against psychotherapy. They would usually only let me go once things became really bad.

Recently I talked with them, and thankfully they've agreed to put those opinions aside and let me attend therapy consistently. I've now been going regularly for the last two sessions.

The main reason I'm making this post is something I've struggled with for years.

My mind constantly rehearses conversations. I can spend 3–4 hours brushing my teeth and bathing because I'm stuck thinking. Even doing my nighttime skincare routine can take over an hour.

My thoughts jump between all kinds of topics:

• replaying conversations I've already had,
• imagining future conversations,
• imagining myself in an interview setting,
• imagining talking to friends, family, or teachers,
• fantasizing about doing or saying the "perfect" thing,
• worrying about things that probably won't happen.

I've looked into things like intrusive thoughts, maladaptive daydreaming, rumination, and even "mental masturbation," but I honestly don't know what this would be classified as.

Lately, this has started happening with my therapist too.

I constantly imagine future therapy sessions, replay old sessions, rehearse what I'm going to say, imagine crying in front of her, or imagine explaining everything perfectly. Sometimes I even catch myself trying to be "impressive" in these imaginary conversations.

The strange thing is that I know she's my therapist—not my friend, not someone I'm trying to impress. Intellectually I understand the professional relationship, but my brain keeps creating these imaginary conversations anyway, and that makes me feel guilty that I'm even having them about my therapist.

It's gotten to the point where even while writing this post, I caught myself imagining or rehearsing explaining something to my therapist and trying to sound impressive on different topics instead of just writing this.

The worst part is that I feel ashamed that I'm having these thoughts, and guilty for wasting so much time and not being able to focus on my studies, even though I don't want them and I can't seem to stop them.

Should I tell my therapist about this? Part of me feels like if I just confessed all of this to her, it would somehow magically stop. But I'm also really embarrassed and ashamed to tell her.

Is there anything I can do to stop it without telling her?

Hello, I'm 19M, and I've been struggling for years with things like a completely messed up sleep schedule (sometimes sleeping 3 hours, sometimes 18), poor appetite, and becoming almost non-functional. I tried helping myself by watching a lot of Dr. K videos, reading psychology papers, and making lifestyle changes. Some of it helped for a while.

When I got into college, things actually improved. I was eating three meals a day again and felt like life was finally getting better. But after a few months everything slowly fell apart again. My sleep and appetite got worse, and eventually I reached the point where I felt like I needed professional help.

I started seeing a psychiatrist and therapist, and I was prescribed medication. Honestly, the medication worked almost like magic. Within a few weeks my sleep and appetite improved dramatically.

Unfortunately, my parents wanted me to reduce the medication, and after a few weeks I slowly fell back into the same cycle. Therapy was also inconsistent. It was supposed to be weekly, but over the last 7 months I've only had 11 sessions because my parents were against psychotherapy. They would usually only let me go once things became really bad.

Recently I talked with them, and thankfully they've agreed to put those opinions aside and let me attend therapy consistently. I've now been going regularly for the last two sessions.

The main reason I'm making this post is something I've struggled with for years.

My mind constantly rehearses conversations. I can spend 3–4 hours brushing my teeth and bathing because I'm stuck thinking. Even doing my nighttime skincare routine can take over an hour.

My thoughts jump between all kinds of topics:

• replaying conversations I've already had,
• imagining future conversations,
• imagining myself in an interview setting,
• imagining talking to friends, family, or teachers,
• fantasizing about doing or saying the "perfect" thing,
• worrying about things that probably won't happen.

I've looked into things like intrusive thoughts, maladaptive daydreaming, rumination, and even "mental masturbation," but I honestly don't know what this would be classified as.

Lately, this has started happening with my therapist too.

I constantly imagine future therapy sessions, replay old sessions, rehearse what I'm going to say, imagine crying in front of her, or imagine explaining everything perfectly. Sometimes I even catch myself trying to be "impressive" in these imaginary conversations.

The strange thing is that I know she's my therapist—not my friend, not someone I'm trying to impress. Intellectually I understand the professional relationship, but my brain keeps creating these imaginary conversations anyway, and that makes me feel guilty that I'm even having them about my therapist.

It's gotten to the point where even while writing this post, I caught myself imagining or rehearsing explaining something to my therapist and trying to sound impressive on different topics instead of just writing this.

The worst part is that I feel ashamed that I'm having these thoughts, and guilty for wasting so much time and not being able to focus on my studies, even though I don't want them and I can't seem to stop them.

Should I tell my therapist about this? Part of me feels like if I just confessed all of this to her, it would somehow magically stop. But I'm also really embarrassed and ashamed to tell her.

Is there anything I can do to stop it without telling her?