The benefit here is that you can at least unpack stuff you aren't comfortable talking to a therapist about. The "it's free" thing isn't the real benefit. The o

The benefit here is that you can at least unpack stuff you aren't comfortable talking to a therapist about. The "it's free" thing isn't the real benefit. The other important thing to look at is that mental healthcare in the US is still heavily stigmatized. There are professions that actively punish people who seek help, like the military or civil flight - a 35-year pilot a few years away from retirement just won't, for example. A 17 year old kid whose family all served in the military, who wants to also do it, will probably be advised against seeking therapy because certain labels lock you out of the career path. And life insurance can and will deny you coverage if you have conditions like anxiety or depression. Even if you can afford it, you can end up risking the livelihood of you (career options) or those you care about (a stay at home spouse who needs the insurance if something happens to you). Therapy is important, and I wholeheartedly agree with you: people should go see a real human and get out of the house. It's the healthiest option, and least risky from a health perspective. But even if an LLM is worse than a real licensed therapist and just helps you "talk" about things, I can understand why someone might feel that is the only realistic option under the poor system we live in.