AI Is Becoming Part of Everyday Life for Kids and Teens

If you have a child or teenager at home, there’s a good chance AI (artificial intelligence) is already part of their world. Whether they’re using it to get homework help, brainstorm ideas, or simply pass the time, chatbots and AI tools are becoming a normal part of growing up.

But some young people are starting to use AI for something much more personal: talking through their feelings.

For kids and teens who feel stressed, lonely, or overwhelmed, an AI chatbot can seem like an easy place to vent. It’s instantly available, responds right away and doesn’t judge. That might sound harmless (or even helpful!). But AI is not designed to provide real mental health support, especially for young people navigating complex emotions.

April is Stress Awareness Month, making it an ideal time for families to talk about the role technology plays in our lives when we’re stressed. How can caregivers help children use AI in healthy ways without relying on it for emotional care?

Let’s explore why children and teens are turning to AI, where these tools can be helpful and how caregivers can guide young people toward safe, balanced use — all while keeping real human connection at the center of mental health.

Why Children and Teens May Turn to AI

“Technology can be just as addictive as anything else that spikes dopamine,” says Camber Director of Admissions Janny Sivilay, “like sweets or anything that will give you an instantaneous reward.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dopamine high gives children and youth a sense that what they are doing is positive, which can lead to excessive screen time as they seek that “always-there” stimulation.

AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and many others, can be the ultimate dopamine boost for children who are bored or lonely. Chatting with AI gives them a feeling of someone to talk to who agrees with them, supports them and is always available. 

This comforting feeling has led many to treat AI as a form of therapy, giving them a nonjudgmental and seemingly private place to express their thoughts and get support or feedback. Teens may also feel more comfortable talking to an AI about something intensely personal or embarrassing instead of a parent or trusted adult. 

While this can feel helpful in the moment, AI tools can’t provide mental health care, especially for young people navigating complex emotions.

Why AI Should Not Replace a Therapist

While AI can be helpful for journaling or suggestions on stress-relieving activities, it is nearly as limited as reading a medical textbook to self-diagnose mental health conditions. AI is not a real mental health professional, nor does it have an actual relationship with the person who is using it. Therefore, AI cannot:

• Diagnose or treat mental health conditions
• Recognize warning signs of a crisis or self-harming behavior
• Adhere to clinical training and ethical safeguards
• Keep confidential insights confidential — because unlike therapists, AI doesn’t adhere to HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulations, meaning nothing shared with AI can be guaranteed to stay private
• Build a real, trusted relationship that is integral to the therapy process

Jeff Guenther, a licensed personal counselor popular on social media as TherapyJeff, recently shared a Reel that provides excellent examples of where AI tools like ChatGPT miss the mark when it comes to real therapeutic use. In an example where a teen described spending over two hours every day worrying about their physical appearance, ChatGPT recommended tools for managing intrusive thoughts. This may seem like a good response on the surface, but coping skills may not be what that teen needed if he’s dealing with a severe body dysmorphic disorder. 

Jeff emphasizes that AI is simply not capable of real therapy, explaining, “[AI tools are] optimizing for helpfulness. A therapist is optimizing for truth and clinical safety, and sometimes, those two things are in direct conflict.”

Healthy Ways Children and Teens Can Use AI for Self-Reflection

While AI should never replace human-centered therapy and real emotional care, it can be a helpful supplemental tool. The reality is, AI exists in our world, and AI’s presence is evolving every day. Here are some healthy ways AI can be used for stress management and as a tool for support rather than actual treatment.

Generating Journal Prompts

AI can generate excellent questions and prompts for a guided journaling practice, reducing the sense of overwhelm when you first sit down to write by helping spark ideas and creativity. If you journal within an AI tool, it can recall previous messages (to an extent) and help you think back on previous journal entries as you go. You can then ask AI to summarize your thoughts and insights at the end of each entry, giving you a clean and concise version of your stream-of-consciousness writing to reflect on. 

Stress Management and Meditation

Think of AI like an ultra-powered search engine. Instead of Googling “breathing exercises” and scrolling through pages of results to find one you like, ask a chatbot to give you stress management tools and short mindfulness exercises. You can add stipulations like “each exercise should take no more than five minutes” to personalize the results and get a curated set of resources for managing stress in a healthy way.

Organize Thoughts Before Talking to Someone

One of AI’s greatest strengths is as a reflective listening tool. Think of it as a digital sounding board. This makes AI feel like a safe space for youth who are struggling to put something difficult into words or preparing for a hard conversation. For example, children and youth in the LGBTQIA+ community may practice coming out with a chatbot and explore different ways someone may react.

How Caregivers Can Help Children Use AI Safely

The goal as a parent or caregiver is not to become the “technology police,” but to be a guide and partner with your child as they navigate this new and unfamiliar territory.

Camber’s Director of Program Innovation and Staff Development Alexandra Beineman emphasizes this for therapists as well, saying: “At the end of the day, helping families create digital habits is not about limits and rules. It is about being engaged, aware and connected around usage.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With that goal in mind, here are some practical tips for helping children and youth in your care to use AI safely.

Have Open Conversations About AI

Keep conversations around AI open, honest and nonjudgmental. Make sure children know they can always come to you or another trusted adult if they are struggling, and ask them gentle questions about their AI usage like:

• How does talking to AI make you feel? Do some conversations with AI make you feel negatively about yourself or others?
• Have you paid attention to how much time passes while you’re chatting with an AI?
• What helps you remember that what you experience with the AI isn’t reality?

Encourage Reflection, Not Reliance

Help your children to see AI as a helpful tool for reflection or information, a place to organize their thoughts — but not a form of therapy. Remind them that emotional support should come from real people, and that AI is only an imperfect reflection of those authentic relationships and conversations.

Set Healthy Technology Boundaries

Work together with your children to create healthy boundaries around AI use and technology in general. Reinforce why it’s important to balance screen time with other activities and responsibilities. 

For example, if they’ve been really tired lately and you find out they’ve been staying up late talking to a chatbot, encourage them to have a cut-off time where they put their phone away as they wind down for bed. Help them learn to recognize when AI is triggering negative emotions so they can be more mindful of when helpful becomes harmful.

Teach Critical Thinking

AI gets things wrong all the time, so it’s important for users to have good critical thinking skills and discernment with anything an AI generates. Help your children to understand that AI responses may not be accurate or situationally appropriate. As you help them navigate how to use AI appropriately, positive reinforcement helps too! Cheer your child on when they have a moment of clarity or when they make smart choices. 

Signs a Child or Teen May Need Professional Mental Health Support

AI is not a replacement for therapy. If your child is exhibiting any warning signs of a more serious mental health condition, talk to a licensed mental health professional. Here are some signs that professional counseling or therapy may be helpful:

• Sadness, anxiety or irritability that is ongoing or especially intense
• Noticeable and lasting changes in sleep, appetite or academic performance
• Withdrawing from friends, family and activities
• Having intense emotional reactions that are difficult to manage
• Talking about feeling hopeless or mentions of self-harm

When these signs appear, a licensed mental health professional can provide the support a young person needs. But there is hope. Contact Camber Mental Health to determine the best next steps.

Practical Tips for Families Navigating AI and Mental Health

As you navigate the tricky overlap of AI and mental health with your children, here are some practical tips:

• Treat AI as a tool, not a source of mental health care
• Encourage youth to talk with trusted adults about their feelings
• Educate yourself and your household on how AI works and what it can and can’t do
• Avoid sharing sensitive personal information with AI platforms
• Use AI for journal prompts or reflection activities
• Seek professional mental health support when needed

The Power of Human Connection in Mental Health

At Camber Mental Health, we know that connection is at the heart of healing. Children and teens thrive best when they feel seen, heard and supported. While technology like AI can support reflection, it cannot replace the empathy, trust and understanding that only comes from relationships with caring adults and trained professionals.

Stress Awareness Month is an important time to reevaluate emotional wellbeing in your household. We encourage all caregivers to stay curious about how children are using technology and create space for honest conversations about stress and emotions. If you’re looking for even more resources for parenting and mental health, take a look at our e-books, webinars and other free tools here.