Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 18
The Potential Benefits
Used well, AI can be
genuinely helpful.
It can make information
easier to understand, help
people organise their
thoughts, support learning
and reduce some of the
mental load that comes
with everyday tasks.
For someone feeling
overwhelmed by a long
document, a complicated
form or a busy schedule,
AI can help break things
into smaller, more
manageable steps.
In healthcare, AI may
also help improve
access to information,
support clinicians with
administrative tasks
and assist with early
identi昀椀cation of health
needs. This allows for
clinicians to focus more on
direct client/patient care
and less on administrative
tasks. Research into AI
in mental healthcare
suggests there may
be useful applications,
particularly when AI is
evidence based, carefully
evaluated and integrated
with appropriate human
oversight [2]. Where AI
is used in client/patient
care, however, clear
communication and
obtained consent is critical
so that clients are aware of
how AI is being used and
any privacy implications
that use entails.
For mental wellbeing, AI
may help people re昀氀ect,
journal, practise coping
strategies or prepare
for conversations with
a doctor, psychologist
or support person. It
can also make wellbeing
content easier to access
for people who may feel
nervous about taking the
昀椀rst step.
However, this is where the
balance matters.
AI can support mental
health, but it is not
a replacement for
appropriate mental
healthcare such as
consulting with your GP,
psychiatrist, or speaking
with a psychologist
or counsellor.
The Risks We Need to
Take Seriously
The concerns around
AI and mental health
are real. The Australian
Psychological Society has
warned that AI and digital
mental health services
need proper evaluation,
safety standards and
integration to ensure
they are reliable, effective
and appropriate [3]. This
is particularly important
when people are
distressed, vulnerable
or looking for mental
health advice.
AI systems can sound
con昀椀dent even when they
are wrong. They may
provide information that
is inaccurate, incomplete
or not suited to a person’s
speci昀椀c circumstances.
They also do not truly
understand emotion,
context, trauma, risk or
