Meet your first home psychiatrist – ChatGPT
10 April 15:32
Artificial intelligence can become a new assistant in psychiatry: even non-specialized ChatGPT 3.5 is already successfully analyzing clinical cases and offering reasonable diagnoses and treatment strategies. This is evidenced by the results of a study published in the Asian Journal of Psychiatry, in which artificial intelligence was tested on 100 clinical cases, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
How ChatGPT was tested in psychiatry
Researchers led by Russell Franco D’Souza and colleagues used 100 different clinical cases from the book 100 Cases in Psychiatry. The testing covered a wide range of psychiatric conditions, and ChatGPT answers were evaluated by expert faculty members from the Department of Psychiatry.
The assessment was divided into 10 categories, including diagnosis, differential diagnosis, assessment, research, treatment strategies, counseling, clinical reasoning, ethical considerations, prognosis, and request acceptance.
ChatGPT 3.5 received the highest grade of “A” in 61 out of 100 clinical cases, “B” in 31 cases, and only 8 cases were rated “C”. No errors were detected that could seriously affect diagnosis or treatment (grade D).
“Artificial intelligence has demonstrated extremely high performance, especially in formulating treatment strategies and diagnosing various psychiatric conditions,”
– the study concludes.
Why it matters
Mental health remains a critical global health issue. According to the World Health Organization, about 970 million people worldwide suffer from mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression.
At the same time, only 2% of the global health budget is allocated to mental health. The situation is particularly acute in developing countries, where 76-85% of people receive minimal or no treatment for their mental disorders.
In India, for example, the treatment gap for mental health conditions is a shocking 70-92%, according to the National Mental Health Survey. These figures represent the percentage of people who have a mental disorder but are not receiving proper treatment. The situation is complicated by a serious shortage of mental health professionals.
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Prospects and limitations
The researchers believe that ChatGPT can be a powerful tool for bridging gaps in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, especially in regions with limited access to specialized care.
“The use of ChatGPT 3.5 in the field of psychiatry to improve mental health and well-being is extremely promising. ChatGPT 3.5 can provide a safe and private environment for people to express their mental health concerns and get help,”
– the researchers conclude.
However, the study authors recognize certain limitations. Although a variety of psychiatric conditions were used, each patient’s story is unique, so real-world interactions may be necessary to confirm the results. In addition, the researchers received ChatGPT responses only once, while repeated requests could have yielded different results.
What does ChatGPT think?
asked ChatGPT 4.0, a more advanced version than 3.5, what its advantages and disadvantages are as an in-home psychiatrist. We received the following answers:
✅ What does artificial intelligence do well?
- Provides quick and logical answers.
- Analyzes large amounts of medical information.
- Offers diagnostic and treatment options based on clinical data.
❌ What remains in question?
- Can it be trusted in critical cases?
- How will it handle non-standard or complex diagnoses?
- Will its use lead to the “depersonalization” of psychiatry?
ChatGPT believes that it can be used as a tool for self-help or general guidance in mental health issues, but not as a replacement for a real psychiatrist. It can help explain symptoms, provide information about mental disorders, advise self-help methods, or even suggest relaxation techniques. But he or she:
- does not have access to the full clinical context, patient history, or non-verbal cues that are important for diagnosis;
- cannot prescribe medications or intervene in crisis situations;
- may sometimes give generalized advice that is not appropriate for a particular person.
Therefore, in case of serious mental problems, it is better to consult a qualified specialist. But as an informative and supportive resource, ChatGPT will do just fine.
Expert opinion
Scientists emphasize that for the successful implementation of this technology, it is necessary to ensure reliability, information validation, proper recommendations, and implementation structure.
“Despite the fact that ChatGPT 3.5 has enormous potential to improve mental health outcomes, there are still some challenges with its use in psychiatry,”
– the researchers note, emphasizing the need for further research.
The authors of the study also emphasize that artificial intelligence will not replace psychiatrists, but can become a valuable tool for mental health professionals, helping them to provide individualized care and support to their patients.
