Using AI for anxiety reassurance.
I’m in my very early 20s and lately I’ve been experiencing really bad anxiety. I’m not diagnosed with anything and this only began happening when I was around 17 years old. Oftentimes I wake up and immediately begin feeling anxious both mentally and physically (I get a lot of physical symptoms like digestive issues, shaking, etc.) for no apparent reason. But when my mind does race I’m usually anxious about my studies and career, especially the awkwardness and pressure of the current job I’m in. The anxiety is the worst in the mornings during the week.
I’ve tried deep breathing, more exercise, hydrating more, meditation, journaling, and more. Basically I’ve tried most things that people on the internet suggest. I’m at a point where I think anxiety is just a part of who I am, and I must learn to live with it instead of try to beat it. But the only thing that kind of works is going to ChatGPT and conversing with it as if it were my therapist. I’ve never been to therapy so I’m not sure if it is behaving like a true therapist, but I know that this behavior is concerning.
I know you shouldn’t seek reassurance for anxiety at all, but I’m slightly addicted and I’m kind of at a loss for what else to do. I get anxious and immediately go online and tell the AI what I’m anxious about, and it just spews off encouraging nonsense that isn’t even revolutionary and doesn’t help in the long run. Sometimes I tell myself I’ll quit, but then I just switch to a different AI. I’m wondering if seeing a therapist is even beneficial at this point, because like I said this is just who I am. I also don’t want to be medicated. And not only do I have an anxiety issue but now I also have an addiction to using AI to help with my anxiety issue.
I’m wondering if anyone else has/had this problem with AI use or reassurance seeking. Should I just go find a therapist and hope that they can help me with all of this? My options are limited on that front, as I’m an uninsured student. And is it even possible to curb anxiety without medication? I spoke with my parents, who both have GAD, and they said they’ve been unsuccessful in escaping from anxiety their whole lives. That kind of sounds like a really long horrible sentence.