{"id":2008,"date":"2025-07-31T09:37:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T09:37:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/2025\/07\/31\/chatgpt-therapy-the-lebanese-turning-to-ai-for-mental-health-support\/"},"modified":"2025-07-31T09:37:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T09:37:15","slug":"chatgpt-therapy-the-lebanese-turning-to-ai-for-mental-health-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/2025\/07\/31\/chatgpt-therapy-the-lebanese-turning-to-ai-for-mental-health-support\/","title":{"rendered":"ChatGPT therapy: The Lebanese turning to AI for mental health support"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Beirut, Lebanon \u2013<\/strong> By the time Zainab Dhaher and her family fled their southern Lebanese village last September, Israeli shelling had become relentless. They packed what they could and drove 13 hours to Beirut, only to find themselves once again within range of Israeli bombardment. The cycle of displacement repeated.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe left in a rush. I didn\u2019t have time to pack clothes for my children,\u201d the 34-year-old mother of two recalls, her voice cracking during a phone interview. \u201cWe moved from place to place, and no one helped us. No food, no blankets, nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Months after a United States-brokered ceasefire took effect in November, the fear still lingers. Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory have continued despite the truce, repeatedly raising fears of renewed conflict, while Israel remains in control of strategic parts of Lebanon\u2019s south.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, roughly 90,000 Lebanese people are unable to return home because of continued devastation of their villages, and Israel\u2019s continued presence in some of them. Israeli rockets also continue to strike Hezbollah targets, while the group refuses to drop its arms \u2013 a key Israeli demand.<\/p>\n

But for Zainab, a 34-year-old mother of two, the psychological wounds from the devastating war have proven deeper and more persistent than any physical destruction.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sound of drones terrifies me. I cry when I hear Ahmad Kaabour\u2019s song \u2018Ya Rayeh Sawb Bladi\u2019 [Oh, you who is going to my land] because it reminds me of what we\u2019ve lost.\u201d Despite the ceasefire, Zainab says she can\u2019t sleep. \u201cI\u2019m constantly afraid something will happen to my children. I don\u2019t think this pain will ever go away.\u201d<\/p>\n

And in the absence of an accessible, functioning mental health system, Zainab \u2013 like many others in Lebanon \u2013 found herself turning to artificial intelligence (AI), and ChatGPT.<\/p>\n

\"A
Israel\u2019s war on Lebanon compounded the country\u2019s economic crisis [Zeinab Shmais\/Al Jazeera]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A nation in psychological ruin<\/h2>\n

Lebanon has endured a near-constant barrage of crises for years: the 2019 financial collapse that wiped out people\u2019s life savings, the devastating Beirut port explosion in 2020, a collapsing public health system, and the Israeli military\u2019s latest offensive in the south, which killed almost 4,000 people and displaced tens of thousands. Amid this chaos, the psychological toll on the population is becoming harder to ignore.<\/p>\n

Mental health professionals warn of a dramatic rise in anxiety, depression, PTSD, and psychosomatic symptoms across the country, especially among those living near the southern border, journalists covering the violence, and humanitarian workers on the ground. But in a country where therapy sessions cost between $40 and $100 \u2013 more than many can afford \u2013 mental health support remains a luxury.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no national strategy for psychological recovery,\u201d says Dr Randa Baraja, a clinical psychologist at CPRM Clinic in Beirut. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing a resurgence of trauma not just from the recent war, but from Lebanon\u2019s entire history of violence \u2013 civil war, political assassinations, and successive economic collapse. The trauma is collective, and it spans generations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baraja notes an uptick in patients using ChatGPT as a kind of emotional crutch. \u201cWe\u2019re observing a growing trend, especially among younger people, of turning to AI tools for emotional support,\u201d she says. \u201cThey confide in it, seek comfort, even ask it to diagnose them. It reflects the deep need for someone \u2013 or something \u2013 that simply listens.\u201d<\/p>\n

But she warns of the dangers. \u201cChatGPT doesn\u2019t offer genuine emotional attunement. It cannot replicate the human connection necessary for healing. More dangerously, it can delay access to professional help. People think they\u2019re improving, but often they\u2019re not.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was Zainab\u2019s experience. After reading a Facebook post recommending mental health \u201cself-tests\u201d using ChatGPT, she tried one. The bot\u2019s response was alarming: It listed PTSD, schizophrenia, and ADHD as potential diagnoses. \u201cIt shook me,\u201d she admits. \u201cBut I couldn\u2019t afford therapy. I work at a beauty salon and earn $400 a month. Rent alone is $1,200. Therapy isn\u2019t an option for people like me,\u201d she says, referring to the lease of her displacement home.<\/p>\n

At first, ChatGPT seemed like an outlet. But the more she relied on it, the more frustrated she became. \u201cIts responses felt hollow. I was getting angrier after every conversation. It felt like shouting into a void.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018We left the war, but the war didn\u2019t leave us\u2019<\/h2>\n

The psychological effects of war are not easily shaken. According to the World Health Organization, one in five people in conflict-affected areas suffers from mental health conditions ranging from mild depression to severe anxiety and psychosis.<\/p>\n

In Lebanon, the impact is amplified by economic despair. With the Lebanese lira having lost nearly 97 percent<\/a> of its value since 2019 and poverty rates skyrocketing, families are struggling to cover basic needs, let alone pay for therapy. Public mental health services are scarce, especially in rural and marginalised areas.<\/p>\n

Sarah Rammal, a 22-year-old fashion entrepreneur from the border town of al-Aadaissah, lost her home and small business when Israeli forces burned them during the war. She now lives in a rented apartment in Beirut, trying to rebuild from scratch. \u201cI felt like my life had been erased,\u201d she says. \u201cI started talking to ChatGPT every night just to release the pain.\u201d<\/p>\n

At first, the routine helped. \u201cIt felt easier than talking to a real person. No judgement.\u201d But over time, it stopped being effective. \u201cIt didn\u2019t push me forward. I was just circling the same sadness over and over again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eventually, she sought professional help. \u201cAfter one session with a therapist, I felt lighter. I still use AI sometimes, but I now realise it\u2019s not a substitute.\u201d<\/p>\n

A quiet mental health crisis<\/h2>\n

Lebanese youth, already dealing with political disillusionment and economic uncertainty, were among the hardest hit by the latest war. Rania, a hotline responder at Embrace, a leading mental health NGO, says the volume of calls from young people has spiked dramatically in recent months.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost calls are war-related. They feel hopeless about their futures in this country,\u201d she explains, asking to be referred to by her first name only, since she\u2019s not authorised to speak to the press. \u201cWe\u2019ve also noticed more people talking about using AI as a coping mechanism. It\u2019s easy, available, and doesn\u2019t cost money. But it\u2019s not a real solution.\u201d<\/p>\n

To counter this, Embrace and Lebanon\u2019s Ministry of Health launched a mental health app called Step-by-Step<\/a>, designed by clinical psychologists. \u201cIt\u2019s free, confidential, and tailored to individual needs,\u201d Rania says. \u201cWe always try to redirect people there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Siba Haidar Ahmed, a master\u2019s student in clinical psychology, says many of her classmates and peers have experimented with AI tools during moments of emotional crisis. \u201cThe danger isn\u2019t in using ChatGPT once or twice,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s when people mistake it for therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n

While AI can provide surface-level comfort, its effects are fleeting. \u201cIt can give you motivational quotes or validate your emotions. But once the chat ends, reality hits. That sudden return can deepen feelings of emptiness or hopelessness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back in southern Lebanon, as families try to rebuild their damaged or destroyed homes after months of shelling, the psychological recovery remains elusive. Turning to their screens, many hope for comfort and answers in algorithms.<\/p>\n

Zainab, now back in her village, says she\u2019s trying to move forward, but the scars are deep. \u201cWe left the war,\u201d she repeats. \u201cBut the war didn\u2019t leave us.\u201d<\/p>\n

This piece was published in collaboration with Egab<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Beirut, Lebanon \u2013 By the time Zainab Dhaher and her family fled their southern Lebanese village last September, Israeli shelling had become relentless. They packed what they could and drove 13 hours to Beirut, only to find themselves once again within range of Israeli bombardment. The cycle of displacement repeated. \u201cWe left in a rush. … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2008"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2008\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pronews.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}