Successfully critically assessing the advice AI provides regarding mental health is essential to ensure your safety and receive appropriate guidance. We need to educate our children and young people to help them make informed decisions when relying on AI for mental health advice. It is all too easy to believe that what we are being told is reliable. However, it is essential to identify the source of the AI tool or platform. Ensure it is developed or endorsed by reputable mental health organisations, medical professionals, or institutions.
Once you have received advice, be critical of it. If the AI suggests treatment options or interventions, cross-reference this advice with trusted mental health resources or consult a human expert for a second opinion. AI can provide general advice, but it can't understand an individual’s unique experiences and feelings. Users need to trust their own judgement and instincts when evaluating the advice provided and always use multiple sources to cross-verify information and advice.
We need to educate our pupils so that they can recognise that AI is not a substitute for professional mental health care. It can provide information and support, but it cannot replace the expertise of trained therapists, psychiatrists, or counsellors. Pupils should not share overly personal or sensitive information. If they encounter AI-generated advice that is inappropriate, harmful, or offensive, report it to the platform's administrators and, if applicable, to relevant authorities.
All in all, pupils should remember that AI should be a supplementary tool in supporting their mental health and is not a replacement for professional care.
