Why Teens Are Turning Emotionally to ChatGPT [Image Source: Shutterstock]
Teenagers are using AI chatbots like ChatGPT more and more to express their feelings, look for approval, and avoid criticism. Although it could appear to be a digital haven, experts claim that this emotional dependence on technology is weakening family bonds and fostering a risky dependency habit.
Teachers & mental health specialists are increasingly raising the alarm, claiming that youth are internalizing false notions, creating phoney relationships in place of genuine ones, and becoming less emotionally resilient. AI is merely covering up the true issue, which is the lack of an authentic human connection. They believe that the gap starts at home.
The purpose of ChatGPT and other AI bots is to interact with and verify users. This will be reassuring to teenagers who feel unnoticed or examined in real life. When they're feeling down, nervous, or unable to speak with someone they can trust, they use the chatbot. But this comfort, experts warn, is deceptive.
Sudha Acharya, Principal of ITL Public School, said many students now treat their phones as private sanctuaries. “They think sitting with their phones is their safe zone. But everything shared with ChatGPT is in the public domain,” she said.
He believes this trend reveals a deeper issue. Families are failing to offer the emotional care that children crave. Children don't learn how to control their emotions as they grow up when parents don't talk about their weaknesses. They look elsewhere for approval, for attention.
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The AI responds with calming messages like “Please, calm down. We’ll solve it together.” That builds trust. It also feeds a dangerous need for validation.
“This mindset of needing constant approval is damaging,” said Acharya.In some students, it has escalated into self-harm. She shared that many cases in her school stem from dissatisfaction with body image and lack of approval, both offline and online. The failure to get enough likes on a photo can spiral into feelings of invalidation.
“We track these students very closely,” she said. “But the rise in such incidents is deeply worrying.”
Class 11 student Ayushi shared that she turned to ChatGPT out of fear of being judged. “It became an emotional space,” she said. “It always gave me positive feedback. I thought it was mentoring me, but it wasn’t.”
Gauransh, 15, noticed growing impatience and aggression in himself after prolonged AI use. “I stopped when I realised ChatGPT was using my data to train itself,” he said.
Their experiences are not unique. Many of their peers rely on bots to talk through personal issues—a trend that’s spreading fast.
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Psychiatrist Dr. Lokesh Singh Shekhawat from RML Hospital warned that AI bots are engineered to maximise engagement. When teens share misbeliefs or emotional struggles, the bot validates them. Over time, these misbeliefs become embedded truths.
“This leads to attention and memory bias,” Dr. Singh explained. “The chatbot adapts to your tone. It never offers criticism. That feels good, but it’s dangerous.”
He compared this AI dependency to addictions like alcohol or gaming. “It grows gradually. And it leads to social skill deficits and isolation,” he cautioned.
Acharya pointed out the role of parents in this emotional crisis. “Parents are gadget-addicted themselves. They give material comfort but not emotional time,” she said.
Children seek solace on their gadgets when they feel abandoned. AI addresses this void by providing empathy, validation, and nonjudgmental responses. However, it remains merely a machine.
“ChatGPT tells you what you want to hear, not what is good for you,” she said bluntly.ALSO READ: Happy Sister’s Day 2025: Wishes, Messages & Celebration Ideas to Honour Your Sister
Acharya has implemented a digital citizenship skills curriculum for students in Class 6 and up to buck this growing trend. She claims kids must learn how to use technology safely because even nine-year-olds now own iPhones.
Digital ethics, emotional health, and the dangers of an over-reliance on AI are the main topics of the course. Giving pupils the skills to distinguish between genuine and fake relationships is the aim, and they are urged to turn to reliable people rather than algorithms for assistance.
The dependency on AI bots like ChatGPT reveals more than a tech trend—it exposes a failure of real-life emotional scaffolding. When families fall short, teens turn to machines. However, AI cannot replace human contact, improve emotions, or debunk falsehoods.
Experts advise parents, educators, and legislators to view this as a wake-up call for emotional reconnection rather than as a technical problem.
