Danger Risk Behind Increasing Curhat Trends To ChatGPT

Indonesia ranks fifth globally in the highest number of ChatGPT visitors. (Unsplash)

JAKARTA The existence of ChatGPT is no longer seen as a strange thing. Now ChatGPT is actually a friend to some people.

Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots such as ChatGPT were originally used to help increase productivity and work. However, now users are also using ChatGPT as the theme of venting to tell life's problems.

Without realizing it, it turns out that there is a potential danger that may occur if you vent with ChatGPT too often.

A man in Belgium committed suicide in 2023, after experiencing anxiety about the environment and venting to AI chatbots for six weeks. He wondered about the future of the planet. The wife he left believes, without the conversation her husband will remain here.

In Indonesia, venting with ChatGPT is also commonplace, after previously humans often vented on social media. Forensic Psychologist Kasandra Putranto reminded the dangers of venting with ChatGPT without human assistance.

'Children are born like white paper. The task of parents, fathers, mothers as pillars of the family, as well as the community, media, and government, is to ensure that the growth and development process runs smoothly and is free from risks like this," he said.

The intelligence development company created by OpenAI faces seven lawsuits in the California State court, United States. The lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT's products have prompted some of its users to commit suicide, experience misery, and suffer from mental disorders. Four people were recorded dead.

The lawsuit accused OpenAI of negligence, accidental murder, and assisting suicide (assisted suicide), the Associated Press news agency reported.

According to the lawsuit file, OpenAI is said to be aware of the psychological risk of CHatGPT. However, the company still released the GPT-4o model in a hurry without adequate security testing.

The model, which was launched in May 2024, was accused of being manipulative and designed to be too pleasing to users (sycophantic). This can eventually trigger emotional dependence, mental disorders, and even encourage suicide in fragile users.

One of the lawsuits on behalf of Amaurie telas (17), a Calhoun High School student in Georgia, USA, who died of suicide in June 2025. According to a lawsuit filed at the San Francisco High Court,kolisanya initially used ChatGPT to seek help and emotional support.

But his chat with ChatGPT actually makes him addicted and depressed. In the end, ChatGPT gave advice on how to make the most effective snares and how long it can last without breathing. My voice was later found dead.

ChatGPT users in Indonesia continue to increase. Indonesia is ranked fifth globally in the highest number of ChatGPT visitors. There are about 17.5 million visitors from Indonesia who access chatgpt.com in the period January to July 2025.

This high interest is driven by AI users for various needs such as work (54 percent), education (15 percent), and seeking information and advice. The majority of AI users in Indonesia are young (18-25 years old), and their frequency of use increases to more than once a month.

Quoting the Guardian, experts warn that turning to AI chatbots when a mental health crisis can actually worsen the situation. Experts believe that these chatbots are designed to be 'floating' and pleasing users, not in lieu of the right psychiatrist's help.

Clinical psychologist Kasandra Putranto reminded that there are serious risks for children and adolescents interacting with machines without human assistance. According to Kasandra, parents have a very important role in supervising children's growth and development in the digital era. He also emphasized that children need empathetic human interactions, not just answers from machines.

'Children are born like white paper. The task of parents, fathers, mothers as pillars of the family, as well as the community, media, and government, is to ensure that the growth and development process runs smoothly and is free from risks like this," he said.

Kasandra also plays a role so that the younger generation does not depend on AI to find emotional or personal solutions. Because, the GPT chat is just a machine, does not have a humanistic analysis.

Meanwhile, the Islamic University of Riau (UIR) Psychology Lecturer Icha Herawati, S.Psi, M.Soc., SC generally mentions the use of ChatGPT as a good place for discussion because it is able to provide a response, although this answer is not necessarily scientific because it does not include clear references.

Regarding the phenomenon of venting in ChatGPT, Icha does not look at it completely negative. On the bright side, ChatGPT can provide reasonable responses and input compared to someone venting it on the wrong person.

However, he stressed that this technology is unable to provide psychological support. In fact, when someone vents in need of ears to be heard and strengthened, while ChatGPT cannot provide that.

Icha explained that there were indeed some complaints that were responded to logically, but not humanely. When venting, there are other things that cannot be obtained through ChatGPT, namely responses in the form of touch and gaze. Because of that, after all, humans cannot be replaced by ChatGPT.

"If we vent with humans, the responses he gives from touch or gaze alone are able to strengthen us, and this will not be given by AI," concluded Icha.