Dissatisfied with traditional therapy, people are turning to AI bots for help. Mental health chatbots are stepping in to address the global shortage of mental health professionals, a gap that has only widened during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a sharp rise in depression and anxiety cases. Digital platforms offering affordable, 24/7 access could revolutionize how care is delivered, says the National Geographic.

But caution is crucial. While studies show AI chatbots can reduce short-term depression symptoms and predict clinical outcomes based on text data and behavioral signals, AI’s limitations, including bias and unpredictability, emphasizes the need for human oversight in therapeutic contexts. Chatbots like Woebot that lack emotional intelligence, can’t replace guidance from a trained professional, especially those equipped to deal with high-risk patients.

Even their creators agree. Ellen Fitzsimmons-Craft, a psychologist and professor who helped develop the failed wellness bot Tessa, warns about the dangers of AI replacing rather than complementing human care, pointing to cases where chatbots have given out harmful advice including telling someone contemplating suicide to jump off a cliff or suggesting a “ calorie deficit plan ” to someone seeking help with an eating disorder.

As tech companies wrestle with these challenges, AI might just handle the paperwork. Removing administrative responsibilities could let therapists focus more on hands-on patient care. Even with all the technological focus and progress on AI, it seems that placing your mental health in the proverbial hands of a chatbot is a gamble.

Feeling lonely may put older adults at a risk of memory loss. People who are physically isolated and emotionally lonely showed a high risk of memory decline, followed by people who were lonely but not socially disconnected, a recent study suggested.

Both social connection and mental activity helps people stay sharp and happy as they age. These results were found by observing four different groups of adults over six years — socially isolated and lonely, only socially isolated, only lonely, and neither lonely nor socially isolated.

It’s never too late. Psychologist and neuroscientist, Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett explained that the brain is never fully done wiring, and keeps the ability to learn new skills for its entire lifetime. “Learning is plasticity,” she said. Actively engaging in things that keep the brain healthy can help improve memory issues people are already facing.

How to sharpen the knife: Engage in social connections, obviously. Travel, read, learn, and try new things. Dr. Wendy Suzuki, neuroscientist and Dean of New York University’s College of Arts and Science, told CNBC that physical activity also plays a role in stimulating brain growth, especially those that require strategy. Playing chess or online games, taking a stroll — even just around the house —, or just going out for lunch with a friend will help you jumpstart your neurons.

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