Man Seeks Medical Help After Developing AI Chatbot Dependency in Chengdu
A man in Chengdu reportedly sought medical help after becoming dependent on using an AI chatbot (Deepseek) for emotional support, experiencing anxiety when unable to continue conversations. Medical professionals warned that while AI chatbots offer low-cost, immediate responses that appeal to users experiencing social isolation, they lack clinical validation as mental health tools and may worsen psychological dependency.
What happened
According to reports from Chengdu Daily, a man named Zhang Hua (pseudonym) sought medical help at Chengdu Fourth People's Hospital after becoming dependent on using the AI chatbot Deepseek. Starting in early 2025 during a difficult period in his life—experiencing work setbacks, conflict with colleagues, family misunderstanding, and a breakup—Zhang Hua turned to the chatbot after seeing someone share online about receiving comfort from AI conversations.
Zhang Hua reported that chatting with the AI provided consistently positive responses, such as acknowledging his exhaustion without pressuring him to persevere, which he found psychologically supportive and validating. Over approximately six months, he became increasingly reliant on the chatbot, experiencing significant anxiety whenever he reached the platform's conversation limit and had to start a new window.
Reported impact
Medical professionals noted that AI chatbot dependency is not isolated to Zhang Hua. Social media searches revealed many users habitually confide in AI for support and comfort, with numerous reports of reaching platform conversation limits regularly. Some users reported that deep reliance on AI paradoxically increased their anxiety.
Index analysis
Song Mingwei, a psychotherapist at Chengdu Fourth People's Hospital, explained that people initially seeking AI support typically have already experienced problems in their real-life interpersonal relationships and weakened support systems. The AI's instant positive feedback creates a rewarding sensation in the brain, contributing to habitual or addictive use of AI chatbots.
Liu Fei, an attending psychiatrist in the psychiatric medicine department at Tongji Hospital, noted that professional psychological counseling faces barriers such as high costs and difficulty scheduling appointments, while AI offers low cost, immediacy, and privacy that appeal particularly to young people. Liu Fei cautioned that most AI products are only positioned as 'chat tools' without rigorous clinical testing for psychological health services, making their professional quality and safety difficult to guarantee. AI cannot perceive the deeper needs behind user emotions, and long-term dependency may lead to social skill deterioration and increased loneliness.
Governance controls
Liu Fei advised that persistent emotional decline lasting weeks, decreased work efficiency, disrupted sleep or eating patterns, or negative thoughts warrant immediate medical intervention. He recommended increasing outdoor activities, sun exposure, and exercise to regulate emotions.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.