Why Does It Feel So Good to Vent to ChatGPT?

People generally use ChatGPT as their personal assistant—to draft emails, create itineraries, or help them with research. But for Patricia Fragoso, a 32-year-old medical admitting clerk from Los Angeles, California, it’s something else entirely: a confidant for venting about her love life. “When my relationship started getting really rocky, I was like, ‘I need to talk to someone,’” she tells Well+Good. ChatGPT was available.

Fragoso still talks to her friends about similar issues but often prefers to complain to the artificial intelligence chatbot about her relationship. “I felt like there is absolutely zero judgment,” she says, “and I can vent about the same thing as much as I want to without having people say, ‘Alright, just get over it.’” Fragoso is far from the only person using AI technology in this way.

A growing trend

Andres Marquez, a 31-year-old behavior analyst from Sun Valley, California, has also trusted ChatGPT with his personal problems. However, he takes a slightly different approach: He doesn’t talk about himself in the first person. “I would say, ‘There is a [person], and this is their problem. What should they do?’” Marquez vents, then prompts ChatGPT to provide a solution.

How common is this trend? Over a hundred TikTok videos show creators sharing their grievances with AI. For example, one TikTok user posted a video of their mom confessing her issues to ChatGPT. The chatbot then responded, “I am forever by your side, so just tell me how you feel whenever you want.” Other TikTok users take a more comedic approach, jokingly calling ChatGPT their “true therapy and true best friend.”

There’s something about “speaking to someone or something with the feeling of being heard,” says Michael Holohan, PhD, a psychoanalyst and a researcher at the Institute of History and Ethics in Medicine at the Technical University of Munich. The experience could be validating, or it could just be a good way to get something off your mind. ChatGPT can be that “friend” who’s always there to help lift your spirits.

ChatGPT had 200 million weekly users as of August 2024, according to Reuters. As for how many users specifically use the technology for venting purposes, ChatGPT’s Open AI representatives told Well+Good it doesn’t have any stats to share.

Why do we turn to tech?

Sometimes, people feel more comfortable being vulnerable with a counterpart that isn’t human. But why do chatbots feel particularly adept at addressing our needs?

Holohan posits that artificial intelligence is engaging and, therefore, enticing. “We are curious and playful creatures, and, at the moment, there is enough of a back and forth that this technology provides us.” For instance, ChatGPT might ask the same questions as a therapist, such as “How does that make you feel?”

As for not being human, that might not be as crucial as we think. “To be quite honest, it makes sense because we have imaginary friends when we’re children, and sometimes, even when we’re adults,” says Holohan, adding that some people talk to their pets.

It’s important to note that using AI to vent is currently an understudied concept, so there isn’t sufficient empirical data to support any concrete answers about why it makes us feel better.

A bit of caution

An important distinction between venting and therapy: When you vent, you express your negative emotions—like frustration, disappointment, and anger. In therapy, however, you go through a structured process to better understand the underlying causes of negative emotions.

Some studies examine the relationship between therapy and artificial intelligence. One such study, published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, concluded that ChatGPT can “provide an interesting complement to psychotherapy and an easily accessible, good (and currently free) place to go for people with mental health problems.”

Experts caution against using AI to replace actual therapy with a trained, licensed professional. Sanam Hafeez, PsyD, a neuropsychologist and the founder of Comprehend the Mind, says that in therapy, you’ll (hopefully) develop coping mechanisms and solutions. Venting, however, generally helps you feel better in the moment.

Moreover, experts raise privacy concerns. Therapist Cristina Castrillon, LMFT, is particularly concerned about violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). She thinks it’s worth asking whether chatbots legally and ethically store personal information and whether that information is sold to third parties.

There’s also concern about crisis situations. “What protocol is used if someone is in a crisis situation—where they might be suicidal, homicidal, or having a psychotic break?” asks Castrillon. Because ChatGPT is not human, licensed, trained, or regulated, there aren’t any concrete answers for that, either.

Marquez considers ChatGPT a friend; perhaps that’s all it should remain. As for what ChatGPT thinks about that, the AI replied to Marquez, “It’s fascinating to see how technology can replicate some of the comfort traditionally provided by human connections. I’m here to help in any way I can—whether listening, validating, or brainstorming solutions.” It even included a pink heart emoji.