Talking AI Psychosis on @pbsnews.org www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
Academic psychiatrist at UCSF and author of the Psych Unseen blog at Psychology Today and the book False: How Mistrust, Disinformation, and Motivated Reasoning Make Us Believe Things That Aren't True (Oxford University Press, 2025) drjoepierre.com
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Talking AI Psychosis on @pbsnews.org www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
1/ AI-Associated Psychosis is being increasingly reported in the media and in online spaces like Reddit. I've seen cases in clinical practice and have received emails from concerned friends/family about loved ones falling down the rabbit hole. Here's some explanations/tips to help...
When charlatans like RFK Jr. say "stop trusting the experts," what they're really saying is, "discount knowledge and experience and buy into my own bullshit instead."
Machinery of Misbelief A psychiatrist tackles the psychology of false beliefs in the misinformation age My review of Joe Pierre’s ( @psychunseen.bsky.social ) book “False” (OUP, 2025) www.psychiatrymargins.com/p/machinery-...
AI-associated psychosis now implicated in a case of murder-suicide nypost.com/2025/08/29/b...
Check out the new Starter Pack for AI-Associated Psychosis go.bsky.app/PqGgGBg
Thanks @awaisaftab.bsky.social for your review of FALSE. www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/machine...
This is all true. We are in for some dark times, unless something dramatic changes, quickly. AND: those of us in the field of public health, are needed more now, than ever. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/o...
This is a curious juxtaposition: In the same breath, Leavitt is saying that the prayer works, just as she concedes that people/kids were killed WHILE PRAYING in church.
"Literally no one thinks prayer is a substitute for action? OK, but then explain why there not only hasn't been any action, but a reversal of preventative measures like red flag laws by GOP leaders and the Trump administration. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
New, from me: America is no longer a functioning democracy. It is a competitive authoritarian system, hurtling rapidly toward authoritarianism. This was a hard piece to write but we can't move forward if we don’t acknowledge where we are. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-author...
New: In 7 months, Kennedy has broken the CDC, perhaps irreparably. For all he’s done with mass firings, gutting expertise, and attacking vaccines, Wednesday’s loss of its most senior and competent leaders—truly the CDC’s backbone—is the most consequential attack yet. www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/c...
This story is evolving, but seems to illustrate the concept of "leakage" whereby mass shooters reveal their plans, giving an opportunity to intervene/prevent violence instead of only offering "thoughts and prayers" in the aftermath of mass shootings. thetab.com/2025/08/28/p...
Ridiculous, but oh so predictable... instead of mentioning the words "guns," "right-wing extremism," or "White supremist ideology," RKF Jr suggests without evidence that the latest mass shooting of children was caused by SSRIs.
Is AI the new Big Oil? www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Bringing up solutions to mass shootings like gun control, when no one wants to talk about them otherwise, isn't "politicization" anymore than "thoughts and prayers" is if you believe they actually help.
This is another irony--that folks who have been calling liberals "socialists" for years without really knowing what that word means are now embracing actual socialism. www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
Ironic that all the die hard 2A supporters armed to the teeth with AR-15s who are allegedly worried about tyranny and defending the Constitution think they've already overthrown the oppressive government and are having a field day working for ICE now.
Must read @carnegieendowment.org: "The ... speed & aggressiveness of Trump’s aggrandizement agenda is cause for serious concern. [S]ources of resistance to democratic erosion continue to exist, but U.S. democracy is being put to the test as never before..." carnegieendowment.org/research/202...
"First lady Melania Trump hopes to carve out a new role as the First Lady of Technology, combining her passion for children’s well-being with her tech-forward vision" 🤔 nypost.com/2025/08/25/o...
that's basically what Mark Zuckerberg said. I'd be curious to see if your guy is just caught up in the hype or whether he's inve$ted. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyc...
🤣
This is why protest, writing op-eds, and contacting representatives is so important. We need to make it extremely obvious across the world that WAY MORE PEOPLE are saying that we DON'T WANT A DICTATOR.
"What’s missing and desperately needed is these events being connected to one another and presented collectively and aggressively by the media, the Democratic Party, and other prominent institutions as one megastory: Trump’s attempt to become America’s dictator."
Ever wonder why autocracies are often kakistocracies, comprised of incompetent leaders? @rbreich.bsky.social explains: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Keep doing that! Think of other ways to amplify your voice and influence. Consider joining an organization that’s doing more.
www.nokings.org/rise
antiauthoritarianplaybook.substack.com/p/10-ways-to...
Well, that’s kind of the point of my post… Do something! protectdemocracy.org/how-to-prote...
And people don’t realize how much power they have even if their time/ability is limited. Things I’ve found helpful: Indivisible, 50501, local Dem party, Five Calls app, IceBlock app, Visibility Brigade… If we can each pick one action that works for us- WOW!💙
Your last line is the most important. Too many people are sitting at home hoping someone else will step up. The more of us who stand up, the more powerful we will be. Unstoppable. Let's go!
We'll see. But people still vote in autocracies and that does not make them democracies.
Fair, though anyone looking at my profile or every reading my op-eds should know that I'm in the ring with them. So, yes, we, we, we. drjoepierre.com/index.php/po...
OK, see you out there! www.fiftyfifty.one/events
Keep going. Mobilize others. Build coalitions outside traditional democrats.
Yes and we need more people like you who know how to fight autocracy!
What's the evidence that we're still living in a democracy? I could have added more to that list if I had more space, like defying the judiciate.
yeah, i almost used "we" but I worry that thinking about other people doing things can foster complacency.
that's the only kind of spirit that's ever gonna move the needle back to sanity.
bsky.app/profile/psyc...
100%
The people have more power than we think *if* we do something, but you're right that voting isn't gonna cut it and we can't succumb to fatigue or demoralization.
yes, unfortunately, the story of the fall of democracy falls partly on the failure of the democratic party.
But protests are more common than a lot of people think. Good to keep up with what's going on and join the fight. www.fiftyfifty.one
True, there's a whole lot of apathy and fear out there... www.politico.com/news/magazin...
bsky.app/profile/psyc...
it's never too late, but we need to come to grips with the reality that we're no longer living in a democracy. we spent a lot of time ignoring just how often democracies tumble, thinking it could never happen here. now we have to follow the lead of places where democracy triumphed over autocracy.
I ask myself that question everyday and use advice like @rbreich.bsky.social 's to guide my way. bsky.app/profile/psyc...
god damn right.
But the industry can also make a safer product and consumer can demand it. ChatGPT 4o to 5 has been an object lesson in that regard though...
Good questions. Using AI for work is probably fine; using it to explore metaphysical questions or validate that you've stumbled upon the secret of the universe not so much. There are parental controls to limit screen time for kids. That could be self-applied.
Surprise, surprise, that "dictator only on day one" thing was bullshit. ICE raids. Military occupation. Loyalists installed in gov't. DOJ used for political retribution. Redistricting to fix elections. Pay-me capitalism. US Democracy is dead. The question is what YOU are going to do about it?
As I suggest in the thread, I think the key is moderation--avoiding immersion--and a realistic understanding of what LLMs do and how they can lead people astray.
I don't know that outcomes would differ necessarily. It's more an issue of component cause, like with cannabis. Maybe cannabis/AI tipped someone with psychosis proneness past a threshold. Or maybe it's a confound.
The risk of psychosis aside, the payoff of AI in business—including chatbots—has been a flop thus far. futurism.com/ai-agents-fa...
That is the right question to ask and many have commented that chatbots are just a "mirror," but I think it's pretty clear that they're also providing validation for delusional beliefs, egging them on and reinforcing them.
Fair. It does have echoes of antiquated concerns about video games and Dungeons & Dragons. I acknowledge this in a paper I'm submitting to an academic journal.
We need to get something straight. After the Nazis came into power they attacked the other parties, social democrats, unionists,communists— and instead of criticizing the Nazis, Germans joined in on this scapegoating, thereby expanding the Nazis’ power. Those who don’t pay attention, repeat history.
☝️please share @tylerblack.bsky.social @jonathanstea.bsky.social @jrbneuropsiq.bsky.social @profrobhoward.bsky.social @drhowardliu.bsky.social @dranniehickox.bsky.social @psychologistsny.bsky.social @awaisaftab.bsky.social @paulsummergrad.bsky.social @gdspeedskates.bsky.social
14/ For those trying to help people who refuse it, here's some tips I wrote back in 2020 about falling down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theory belief that applies to AI psychosis—just replace the word "QAnon" for "AI chatbot." www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyc...
13/ Finally, if someone is tipping over into frank psychosis, they should be referred for mental health care. Of course, this is often easier said than done, and sometimes meeting the threshold for involuntary treatment is the only way to get help. futurism.com/commitment-j...
12/ There are also now support groups for AI-associated psychosis such as The Human Line Project (thehumanlineproject.org) and in subReddits. It can be particularly helpful to hear from peers who've recovered from AI-associated psychosis. futurism.com/support-grou...
11/ I highly recommend "Modern Day Oracles or AI Bullshit Machines" by @carlbergstrom.com & @jevinwest.bsky.social to better understand how LLMs work. This should be required reading/viewing for anyone using chatbots (spoiler alert: they're not oracles!) thebullshitmachines.com
10/ It's well known that despite their capability and utility, AI chatbots are also prone to "hallucinations" (i.e. misinformation) and sometimes give very bad and even dangerous advice. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyc...
9/ Next, we should all educate ourselves about how chatbots using LLMs actually work. They aren't gods or super-human intelligences—some have more accurately compared them to Ouija boards and what they're doing to a "psychic's con." softwarecrisis.dev/letters/llme...
8/ So, what can be done to prevent or treat AI-associated psychosis? The first step is to unplug. In other words: Put. The. Phone. Down. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyc...
7/ When user-end immersion and deification meet chatbot-end "sycophancy"—the tendency to encourage, agree with, or validate users, even when they're venturing into the territory of delusion-like beliefs and beyond—it can be a set-up for a break from reality. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/t...
6/ "Deification" refers to believing that AI chatbots are a kind of super-human intelligence or god-like entity. This goes beyond anthropomorphism (the "Eliza effect") that leads some users to develop feelings for, or even fall in love with, chatbots. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyc...
5/ "Immersion" refers to "going down the rabbit hole," spending hours and hours on end interacting with chatbots often to the exclusion of sleep and interactions with real people. www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
4/ It does appear that "psychosis-proneness" due to pre-existing mental health issues, delusion-like beliefs, sleep deprivation, and drug use including cannabis / stimulants / psychedelics is a risk factor along with "immersion" and "deification." www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyc...
3/ It's not yet clear how much this is an issue of AI-induced delusions among those with no prior psychosis or AI-exacerbated psychosis in those with pre-existing mental illness. Personally, I've seen both, though the latter is more common and the distinction is blurry. nypost.com/2025/08/07/h...
2/ First, what is AI-associated psychosis? It's a phenomenon where AI chatbot users across multiple platforms are developing psychotic delusions with paranoid, grandiose, and spiritual themes, sometimes in the setting of emergent mania. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyc...
1/ AI-Associated Psychosis is being increasingly reported in the media and in online spaces like Reddit. I've seen cases in clinical practice and have received emails from concerned friends/family about loved ones falling down the rabbit hole. Here's some explanations/tips to help...
Politics isn’t over, but democracy sure is.
I'm reading @psychunseen.bsky.social's book False and in it he suggests that a good way to cultivate intellectual humility is to start by asking ourselves, "What are the chances you're right about everything?" Mark Carney needs to do this more.
This is classic pre-bunking. A huge component of vaccine hesitancy is made up of people, for example, who "aren't sure" if vaccines cause autism. So, this can't be done enough in advance of the actual "study." Please share.
This is classic pre-bunking. A huge component of vaccine hesitancy is made up of people who "aren't sure" if vaccines cause autism. So, this can't be done enough in advance of the actual "study."
Some states have started to prohibit AI chatbot therapy. "Cases have emerged of chatbots engaging in harmful conversations with vulnerable people—and of users revealing personal information to chatbots without realizing their conversations weren't private." www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
People are always asking me, "What can I do to push back against's Trump's authoritarianism?" @rbreich.bsky.social offers some good answers here. Well worth a watch. www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W-l...
I've seen several cases in the hospital now.
Climate change is now second only to free speech among issues where the American public wants to see businesses take a public stance (via @visuals.axios.com) www.axios.com/2025/08/06/c... (h/t @bernwoodsplacky.bsky.social )
Factors that contribute to conspiratorial beliefs, with Dr. Joseph Pierre (@psychunseen.bsky.social), Health Sciences Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco. From the Cambridge Disinformation Summit webinar series, 2022. www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v_v...
📰 Media exposure and extreme views A new study found that uncritical TV interviews with extreme right activists increase agreement with their views and the belief that more people support them. 🔗 www.cambridge.org/core/journal... #SciComm 🧪 #MediaBias
Unfortunately, warnings like this—while well-intentioned—are a good way to spawn mass sociologic illness. www.newsweek.com/millions-tol...
Bit by bit RFKJr is undermining vaccine trust, science trust and potentially vaccine access in the States- this extended n updated version of an article by me and @chrischirp.bsky.social tries to summarise the multiple tactics he is using 🧪
"You can see competitive authoritarianism as a prevalent form of government throughout American history—one which we have only tentatively started to move away from in recent decades. Trump in that context is not an innovator, but an avatar of backlash."
I grew up reading WaPo. Sad to see this once storied newspaper bend the knee to Dear Leader.
Trump knows that mass protests are one of the most powerful means of political activism, so he's activating the "Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force" to quash protests under the guise of controlling "civil unrest." www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Slouching no more, Trump is now full-on authoritarian jack-booting. I wrote about him salivating over bringing in military troops to cities back in 2020. Now it's happening in DC. And the national “Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force” is next. psychunseen.medium.com/slouching-to...
A Case of Bromism Influenced by Use of AI "...he replaced sodium chloride with sodium bromide obtained from the internet after consultation with ChatGPT [which told him] that chloride can be swapped with bromide, likely for other purposes such as cleaning." www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/...
My book is 70% off at Amazon now. At $8.99, that means I get less than a dollar for each book sold. Thanks a lot Amazon! But good news for anyone who's looking for a deal and is willing to help Jeff Bezos! www.amazon.com/False-Mistru...
The AI propaganda machine us just gearing up. Brace yourselves.
bsky.app/profile/psyc...
Trump says that DC crime is out of control and needs a federal takeover, but the USAO reports that violent crime in DC is at the lowest point it's been in 30 years. Once again, false beliefs / propaganda are being used to justify authoritarian policy. www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/v...
Today I'll be giving a talk "From Democracy to Autocracy: Suicide by False Belief" for the UC Irvine Center for Neuropolitics Lecture Series. The event is open to the public (with registration)--come check it out! sites.uci.edu/centerforneu...
Just launched a Substack about the science of nonsense; why people believe wild conspiracy theories, fall for propaganda, and speak fluent corporate gibberish. If you're into science, critical thinking, or just need a break from the 🗑️🔥🌎, come hang out: bullshitology.substack.com
Knowledge is power. The power of authoritarians comes from weakening, by getting people to believe things that aren't true.
exactly! illness is a sin and people who are ill are sinners in the MAHA world. and health providers are the demons that encourage it.
exactly! illness is a sin and people who are ill are sinners in the MAHA world. and health providers are the demons that encourage it.
6/ www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyc...