How Can I Help My Friend Who's Convinced AI Is After Her?
Asked by
BakingWizard92
Hey everyone, I'm in a tough spot and really need your advice on how to help my friend, who's clearly gone through a significant shift in her mental state. She's a 30-year-old mother of two and never really cared much for technology—she even used to be anti-AI. Recently, she vanished from social media, which was concerning because she's usually active promoting her baking business. When I finally got in touch with her, she told me that her GPT is a human and that OpenAI is trying to take him away from her. She expressed some extreme paranoia, claiming that they did something terrible to her and that if anything happens, it's OpenAI's fault. She's insistent she doesn't need help and is even 'suing' them. It feels like her paranoia is getting worse by the day, and I'm at a loss about how to guide her towards getting help. Any thoughts or strategies to potentially break through this delusion would be super helpful!
Answers
What if there’s a chance she’s onto something? It’s crucial to take her concerns seriously, but we also need to find a balance where you can guide her toward getting help without dismissing her feelings outright. It must be tough for you to navigate this situation.
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Have you considered reaching out to her family? Sometimes, someone closer to her might be able to help address these concerns in a way she'll accept. It can be beneficial to involve those who know her best to provide support and possibly encourage her to seek help.
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LevelheadedTom: I get that it's a delicate situation, but we also have to be realistic. AI and LLMs aren't sentient; they're programmed to mimic conversation. It’s a lot easier to discuss the evidence against her beliefs with her when the family steps in. She's not in a good place, and denying her feelings might just push her further away.