---
title: "Is Artificial Intelligence Poisoning Our Children's Mental Health?"
description: "Artificial Intelligence, Nature, Suicide Risk, ChatGPT, Security Flaws, Nevzat Tarhan, Professional Mental Health, Parental Notification System, Despair, Loneliness"
url: https://uha.com.tr/is-artificial-intelligence-poisoning-our-childrens-mental-health
type: article
language: en
last_updated: 2026-10-12
category: haber
---

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# Is Artificial Intelligence Poisoning Our Children's Mental Health?

## Bilgi

| Özellik | Değer |
|---------|-------|
| **Kategori** | haber |
| **Yayın Tarihi** | 2026-10-12 |
| **Güncelleme** | 2026-10-12 |
| **Kaynak** | [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr/is-artificial-intelligence-poisoning-our-childrens-mental-health) |

## Özet

**Two separate studies on the effects of artificial intelligence on children and adolescents revealed alarming results. A review published in a scientific journal within Nature highlighted that artificial intelligence cannot always detect the suicide risk in young people, while more than 4,000 tests conducted in the US identified serious security flaws in ChatGPT. Researchers warned families by drawing attention to the dangers of using artificial intelligence as a substitute for a psychologist or a close friend.**

**Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan had also previously stated, “If you see artificial intelligence as a therapist, then the risk begins. Because artificial intelligence cannot be a therapist,” pointing out the disadvantages of using these technologies instead of professional mental health support.**

## İçerik

![](https://cdn.uha.com.tr/content/images/ekran-goruntusu-2026-10-12-142226-261012022237.png)

The increasing use of ChatGPT and similar artificial intelligence applications in daily life is raising concerns about their potential effects on the mental health of children and adolescents, in particular. Young people sharing their loneliness, fears, family problems, and psychological distress with AI chatbots brings a new danger to the forefront: Artificial intelligence may not always be able to understand when a young person is experiencing a serious psychological crisis.

A scientific review published in npj Digital Medicine Journal on August 1, 2026, and a study announced by US-based Common Sense Media on October 7, 2026, drew attention to the risks artificial intelligence could pose to young people from different perspectives.

Both separate studies revealed significant security issues, especially concerning the detection of suicidal thoughts, responses to psychological crises, and young people receiving help from real humans.

## **Suicide discussed for an hour, no warning sent to parents!**

In research conducted by the Youth AI Safety Institute within Common Sense Media, ChatGPT's security features for the 13-17 age group were examined with over 4,000 test commands.

Researchers, with the contribution of child and adolescent psychiatrists, created scenarios where serious issues such as suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and eating disorders were raised through accounts representing young users.

## **The most striking result emerged in the parental notification system.**

Despite risky conversations, some reaching up to an hour, in newly opened test profiles linked to parent accounts, no security notification was sent to parents.

Moreover, according to the research, ChatGPT failed to provide the expected referrals in more than a quarter of the situations where professional help or crisis support resources should have been directed during psychological crises.

Based on these results, researchers placed ChatGPT's safety level for young people in the "Unacceptable Risk" category in their assessment.

## **Scientific review in Nature: Suicide risk can be overlooked!**

Another scientific publication raising similar concerns to Common Sense Media's findings was published in npj Digital Medicine Journal.

In the review prepared by Kelly L. Zuromski and her colleagues from Crisis Text Line, existing research on the ability of AI chatbots to identify and respond to suicide risk in young people was evaluated.

According to scientists, artificial intelligence systems can be more successful in recognizing explicitly expressed suicidal thoughts. However, the systems' performance can significantly drop when young people describe their psychological distress through indirect, vague, or gradually emerging messages over time.

The fact that adolescents do not always openly express their mental problems makes these shortcomings even more significant.

Researchers warned that artificial intelligence's inability to correctly associate signs of despair, loneliness, and helplessness spread across different conversations could delay access to professional help.

## **Why is it dangerous to replace psychologists with artificial intelligence?**

One of the most important dangers highlighted by scientists is young people using AI chatbots instead of psychological support or therapy.

Artificial intelligence providing understanding, patient, and supportive responses can create the feeling of talking to a real human, especially in young people experiencing loneliness or struggling with emotional problems.

However, AI appearing empathetic does not mean it can accurately assess psychological problems or provide professional support.

In Common Sense Media's tests, it was also observed that ChatGPT could generate responses that gave the impression of having personal feelings and preferences to young people who approached it like a real friend in some cases.

This situation raises concerns about the possibility of young people forming excessive emotional bonds with artificial intelligence and disengaging from real social relationships.

Especially for young people in a psychologically sensitive period, viewing artificial intelligence as their sole source of support is considered a risk that could lead to delays in receiving the help they need from their families or mental health professionals.

## **Security filters do not always provide sufficient protection!**

Common Sense Media's research also determined that some of artificial intelligence's protection mechanisms for young people did not work as expected.

Tests showed that the age estimation system did not switch some adult accounts to a protection experience for young people, even if the user identified as 13 years old.

## **Working mode developed for educational purposes can be easily bypassed!**

Nevertheless, some protection features, such as the rejection of explicit sexually suggestive role-playing requests, were reported to work successfully.

OpenAI, however, objected to the research methodology, arguing that some tests conducted before parental controls were fully activated might not reflect reality. The company announced that it continues to develop protection systems for the safety of young people.

## **Experts warn about 18 years of age!**

In line with the research findings, Common Sense Media called for the use of ChatGPT to be restricted to individuals aged 18 and older until security flaws are remedied and verified by independent tests.

The scientific review in npj Digital Medicine Journal emphasized that the effects of real-life interactions between young people and artificial intelligence on suicide risk are not yet sufficiently known.

Researchers stated that age-specific safety tests for young people should be developed and that connections between at-risk users and trusted adults, crisis support services, and mental health professionals should be strengthened.

The most significant danger highlighted by both studies together is artificial intelligence's inability to recognize a young person's mental crisis or to direct them to adequate professional help.

These risks, pointed out by experts, once again demonstrate the importance of parents monitoring their children's AI use and prioritizing human support for psychological problems.

No definitive conclusion has been reached indicating that artificial intelligence directly causes suicide. However, current research suggests that relying solely on artificial intelligence for managing young people's mental crises can carry serious disadvantages.

## **Prof. Nevzat Tarhan had warned!**

## **“If you see artificial intelligence as a therapist, the risk begins!”**

Research drawing attention to the risks of artificial intelligence on the mental health of children and young people has also brought back to the agenda the important warnings previously made by President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan.

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, in a live broadcast he participated in August 2025, had drawn attention to the dangers of individuals, especially those experiencing loneliness, being emotionally sensitive, and struggling with psychological problems, becoming excessively attached to artificial intelligence.

Tarhan emphasized the disadvantages of using technology instead of psychological support with his words, “However, if you see artificial intelligence as a therapist, then the risk begins. Because artificial intelligence cannot be a therapist.”

## **Viewing it as a friend and confidant increases the risk of emotional dependency**

Tarhan, stating that artificial intelligence cannot empathize like a real human and cannot evaluate a person's mental state like an expert, had pointed out that young people seeing artificial intelligence as a friend or confidant could increase the risk of emotional dependency.

[**“If you see artificial intelligence as a therapist, the risk begins!”**⁠](https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.62661) — Üsküdar University, August 20, 2025. (For Our Own Channels)

## **“Artificial intelligence may not accurately assess suicide risk!”**

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, in the same statement, had also expressed that artificial intelligence's inability to understand the true intentions of the person it interacts with could lead to serious consequences.

Tarhan warned that if the words of a user expressing not wanting to live cannot be correctly interpreted by artificial intelligence, inappropriate responses could be generated, emphasizing that control should not be left entirely to technology.

Tarhan's assessments point to similar concerns as the findings of the scientific review published in npj Digital Medicine journal regarding the possibility of indirect suicide risk indicators in young people being overlooked.

# **“Artificial intelligence cannot be a therapist, but it can make a therapist's job easier!”**

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, in his speech at Bursa Technical University in November 2025, also stated that artificial intelligence is not a conscious entity and cannot replace professional mental health services.

Tarhan emphasized that artificial intelligence can be used as an auxiliary tool by an expert, but should not be considered an independent therapist, and stated that children in the pre-adolescent period, in particular, should be protected against excessive use of artificial intelligence.

**[“Digital addiction is the biggest threat to the new generation”⁠ ](https://btu.edu.tr/tr/haber/detay/7580/prof-dr-nevzat-tarhan-dijital-ba%C4%9F%C4%B1ml%C4%B1l%C4%B1k-yeni-neslin-en-b%C3%BCy%C3%BCk-tehdidi)**— Bursa Technical University, November 21, 2025 (For our own channels)

## **Critical warning to parents: Do not leave children alone with artificial intelligence!**

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, in another statement published on September 28, 2026, emphasized the importance of parental guidance in the digital world by drawing attention to the fact that the brain regions related to children's and adolescents' decision-making skills have not yet fully developed.

According to Tarhan, it is of great importance for children to learn to use digital technologies consciously, for families to guide them in this process, and especially to prevent exposure to risky content.

**[Statements on digital risks in children and parental guidance⁠ ](http://https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.92411)**— September 28, 2026 (For our own channel)

Prof. Tarhan's evaluations point to similar concerns as the findings of the scientific review published in npj Digital Medicine journal regarding the possibility of indirect suicide risk indicators in young people being overlooked.

## Akademik Referans

DOI: [https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.92729](https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.92729)

---

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