COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Artificial intelligence is becoming a go-to tool for Americans seeking health and mental health advice, according to a 2026 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The report finds that most people turn to AI for quick answers and on-the-spot health advice.
A Colorado Springs woman says AI tools, specifically Chat GPT, pushed her to seek professional treatment after a battle with mental illness that spanned three decades.
- Watch how Lisa Price used AI to help her addiction and why human connection is keeping her going
"I no longer want[ed] to be an alcoholic," Price said. "I’ve had an eating disorder since I was 15. I always wanted to be super skinny."
Price says she kept her struggles hidden while battling mental illness and addiction for 30 years.
"I was a highly functioning individual. No one would know how much I was struggling on the inside," Price said.
LEARN MORE | 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
She uses AI in multiple areas of her life, such as travel plans and recipes. She eventually started using the app ChatGPT to track her eating and exercise habits.
"I knew they weren't good, but having that tell me how unhealthy it was, then for it to explain what it was doing to my body, that helped me get more help," Price said.
AI helped her recognize just how serious her eating disorder and addiction to alcohol had become, Price said.
"I need treatment, I can't do this on my own," Price said. "AI is telling me what I need to do, but I can't do it. I need someone to hold me accountable. I mean, I couldn't eat two times a day and [Chat GPT] want me to eat six times a day?" Price said.
She says AI helped guide her toward in-person treatment that changed her life. She began Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) treatment in January 2025 at Serenity Mental Health Centers in Colorado Springs.
"A week or two after [TMS], I started to notice differences in me," Price said. "It was easier to get out of bed. Tasks weren't as hard to complete."
April 7, 2026 marked year one of her sobriety, Price tells News5.
"AI is good for simple things and giving actionable tips," said
Dr. Matthew Mills, DO, a psychiatrists at Serenity Mental Health Centers in Colorado Springs.
AI can be used as an initial step in seeking help, but the convenience can come with a downside, Mills explained.
"The way that these chat bots do the therapy, they're overly supportive in a lot of instances," Mills said. "Telling you 'That's a great question,' or 'You're doing it the right way,' versus where a therapist might push back and correct some negative or incorrect beliefs or thought patterns."
Parents and guardians should be cautious about children turning to AI for mental health support because there is no filter on what they might be exposed to, according to Mills.
The psychiatrist recommends seeking professional help if you're experiencing any of the following:
-Eating disorders
-Severe depression
-Worsening symptoms
-Drop in mood
-Psychosis or disorganized thinking
-Inability to care for yourself
-Thoughts about hurting yourself
-Other severe mental health issues
Price says AI helps her maintain sobriety, but nothing replaces human connection from a counselor.
"Chat GPT helps me stay accountable, but then I still need to do the work. And then I have the outside people - the therapists to really talk through it and make it human, add that connection," Price said.
Eating disorders are among the most fatal mental illnesses, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
One in three adults have used AI tools for health information and advice in the past year, the KFF report says. The report also reported the following among the adults who used AI for health information in the past year:
Speed matters most: 65% say getting quick or immediate answers is a major reason
Pre-appointment research: 41% use AI before deciding whether to see a doctor
Privacy concerns: 36% prefer looking up sensitive health topics on their own
Waiting on results: 28% turn to AI after receiving test results before speaking with a provider
Access and cost also play a major role in reason for using AI tools and chat bots:
- 19% say they couldn’t afford to see a provider
- 18% say they don’t have a regular doctor or couldn’t get an appointment.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 for anyone to speak with a mental health professional over the phone, text or chat.
This article was written by KOAA News5 Consumer Reporter Kierra Sam. Have a story? Send an email to Kierra.sam@koaa.com
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