Vocabulary
Repeat each word, definition, and example sentence after your tutor.
sympathetic
Adjective
ˌsɪmpəˈθɛtɪk
feeling or showing understanding or care
He was sympathetic to her situation but felt powerless to help.
diagnose
Verb
ˌdaɪəgˈnoʊs
to identify an illness or the cause of a problem
Actor Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991.
stigma
Noun
ˈstɪgmə
negative beliefs that many people have about something
Stigma and prejudice around mental health problems are becoming less common.
generative
Adjective
ˈdʒenərətɪv
relating to or capable of production
Generative design software has revolutionized the way engineers work.
counseling
Noun
ˈkaʊnsəlɪŋ
the act of providing professional advice and support to someone experiencing mental or personal problems
The hospital offers counseling to patients and their families as they face difficult decisions.
diddle
Verb
American
ˈdɪdl
to pass time in an unproductive way
I could have finished work hours ago if I hadn't diddled away most of the afternoon on social media.
Article
Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your tutor.
AI Chatbots Are Here to Help With Your Mental Health
Download the mental health chatbot Earkick and you're greeted by a bandana-wearing panda.
Start talking or writing about anxiety and the app generates the kind of comforting, sympathetic statements therapists are trained to deliver. The panda might then suggest a guided breathing exercise, ways to rethink negative thoughts or stress-management tips.
Earkick is one of hundreds of free apps that are being pitched to address a crisis in mental health among teens and young adults. Because they don't claim to diagnose or treat medical conditions, the apps aren't regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
The industry argument is simple: Chatbots are free, available 24/7 and don't come with the stigma that keeps some people away from therapy.
But there's limited data that they actually improve mental health. And none of the leading companies have gone through the FDA approval process to show they effectively treat conditions like depression.
Still, chatbots are playing a role due to a continuing shortage of mental health professionals.
The UK's National Health Service has begun offering a chatbot called Wysa to help with stress, anxiety and depression among adults and teens. Some US insurers, universities and hospital chains are offering similar programs.
Dr. Angela Skrzynski, a family doctor in New Jersey, says patients are usually very open to trying a chatbot after she describes the months-long waiting list to see a therapist.
Skrzynski's employer, Virtua Health, started offering a Woebot app to select adult patients after realizing it would be impossible to hire or train enough therapists to meet demand.
Unlike other chatbots, Woebot's app doesn't use generative AI to produce original text and conversations. Instead Woebot uses thousands of structured scripts.
Founder Alison Darcy says this rules-based approach is safer for health care use, given the tendency of generative AI chatbots to make up information.
Ross Koppel of the University of Pennsylvania worries such apps, even when used appropriately, could be displacing proven therapies for depression and other serious disorders.
"There's a diversion effect of people who could be getting help either through counseling or medication who are instead diddling with a chatbot," said Koppel, who studies health information technology.
Discussion
1.
What are your thoughts on mental health chatbots like Earkick?
2.
How would you feel about using a chatbot for mental health support?
3.
Do you agree that such apps could prevent people from getting help through counseling or medication?
4.
Is there a lot of stigma around the idea of therapy in your country?
5.
Is your country experiencing a shortage of mental health professionals? If so, is anything being done about it?