Dr. Stanley Goldstein - Author and Psychologist

Startling mental health concepts can mislead though appearing believable since the general public lacks accurate knowledge of child psychological development. To begin, unless one is using drugs it is exceptionally difficult for the ordinary person to become psychotic unless they experienced long-term stress. The popular metaphor, "I'm going crazy," generally refers to those experiencing a scary but normal emotional experience as, for example, crying by one rarely does.

While "AI Chatbot Induced Psychosis" with adolescents has become a newsworthy term, it is conceptually no different from the financial scams perpetrated on romance-seeking adults, termed "pig-butchering" by its perpetrators. The reason that a teenager with emotional problems is more susceptible to chatbot blandishment lies in the adolescent experience, During that period they face critical stress-filled developmental tasks: to separate appropriately from their parents; to make sound educational/vocational decisions; to develop a sturdy sense of who they are, or their "sense of self"; and to explore intimacy through dating which arouses powerful feelings. Youth experiencing difficulty with one or more of these tasks are more likely to develop emotional problems, which can usually be resolved through individual psychodynamic psychotherapy combined with supportive parent education. This reduces isolation, making the chatbot experience less enticing. Better, more widespread parenting education would benefit since babies do not arrive with instructions and the critical ego capacities governing thinking and behavior develop during the earliest years.

As for adults developing "AI Chatbot Induced Psychosis": a December 28, 2025 article in The Wall Street Journal ("AI Chatbots Linked to Psychosis, Say Doctors") describes a young woman who sought to speak with her dead brother. She "said she was prone to 'magical thinking' and was on an antidepressant and a stimulant and had gone long stretches without sleep before her hospitalizations." Nuff said.

In the era before cellphones, while driving outside St. Louis, my car got stuck on a road's divider while making a turn. It was just after midnight with no help or cars to be seen. As I stood beside my car, another finally appeared and stopped opposite mine. It held four huge guys and I remembered my pistol at home.

The driver came over and asked what happened. "My car's stuck," I said nervously. After briefly speaking to his companions they came to my car, picked it up, and moved it back onto the road.

I wanted to pay the driver but he refused. "There's a revival meeting at St. Louis Stadium tomorrow night. Come!" he said.

Then, without another word, my four angels returned to their car, drove off, and vanished into the night.

A recent news report stated that prior to allegedly murdering his parents, Nick Reiner's medication for his diagnosis of schizophrenia was changed, causing his behavior to become increasingly erratic. I know nothing of this apart from the news report but feel there are facts to keep in mind.

1. Schizophrenia is often misdiagnosed with those suffering from addictive disorders.

2. While both schizophrenia and addiction have the same etiology, a weakness of basic ego capacities governing control of thinking and behavior because of faulty early developmental experiences, they are very different disorders since the weaknesses are far greater in schizophrenia though they may, briefly, look the same

3. Psychotropic drugs have wide ranging debilitating effects. Long ago a psychiatrist co-worker told me that during his psychiatric residency he took a small dosage of a psychotropic drug as an experiment and its profound effect caused him to be exceedingly cautious about prescribing them thereafter.

4. A long ago study found that most school shooters had been prescribed one or more psychotropic drugs.

5. The treatment of mental health and addiction disorders is sometimes governed more by financial gain than treatment value.

A story: There had been much stress in a teenager's divorced family and she was upset by an upcoming math test. After expressing suicidal ideation to a classmate, their guidance counselor was informed and it was advised that the girl be seen by her doctor. The doctor recommended evaluation at a psychiatric hospital which was done. Months later, whenever the mother wanted to bring her daughter home, the girl's diagnosis would be changed to indicate her need for further treatment. Understandably so since the hospital was being paid a substantial daily sum and, just as a car dealership needs customers, a hospital needs patients.

Feeling desperate, the mother described her dilemma to me. I advised her phone the hospital and say she was coming to bring her daughter home that day or would come with her lawyer. You can guess what happened. Her daughter's diagnosis was immediately changed to "improved" and she rode home with her mother. I spoke with the girl thereafter with her biggest worry being how her friends would relate to her after she'd "been in a crazy hospital." But they said only that they were glad to see her back.

This girl never should have been hospitalized. While suicidal ideation should be professionally evaluated, actual suicide is relatively rare, like the proverbial needle in a haystack. Almost everyone expresses suicidal ideation at some time in their life, its seriousness being determined by whether the statement is serious or metaphorical, the degree of self-control present, and whether the means for suicide (gun, drug, etc.) is present. It, like schizophrenia, autism, and other mental health concerns is often misdiagnosed. Sadly, ignorance of child psychological development and developmental psychopathology is widespread. Nuff said.

The recent murders of Rob Reiner and his wife allegedly by their son, while shocking, raise critical issues on addiction and parenting. Contrary to popular belief, addiction is not genetic but caused by the lack of a "good enough" though not "perfect" parenting which none have. The early life parent-child interaction enables the child to develop basic ego capacities including the ability to control thinking and behavior, modulate mood, and develop a sense of self (sense of who they are).
Substance abuse begins during adolescence though, rarely, it can begin earlier or later. Its motivation is the stress encountered when the troubled adolescent tries to cope with its normal challenges: becoming provisionally independent of their parents; deciding their educational and vocational future; and dealing with the powerful feelings aroused by dating. A teenager who isn't ready to fulfill these tasks will experience painful stress that some try to relieve with drugs or alcohol. Thus using drugs or alcohol simply reflects the attempt to feel better despite its associated legal and psychological harm.
The treatment needed to replace deficient ego capacities with more mature ones is not simple or quick unlike the addictive substance that grants relief. I have known teenagers who experienced many rehab experiences before turning their life around, particularly since many are poorly staffed and theoretically suspect. Media have documented some with practices resembling a concentration camp. It's a Wild West for parents seeking quality treatment for their troubled or addicted teenager.

After viewing the engrossing series, Love and Death on Netflix, what most struck me was its dramatized insight into the power of the unconscious, how a casual event of childhood can effect a horrendous adult act. In this film, when an element of a toddler's situation was duplicated during a life-threatening adult interaction, dissociation and murder occurred. Past celebrated movies like the Hitchcock masterpiece, Psycho, also emphasized this, making stars of its performers.
Adult ignoring of this fact may result from both limited knowledge of child psychological development and fear. A child's father felt shattered because his toddler said he wished him dead though the statement reflected only anger and the common misuse of words by children. Yet parental fear, were they to recognize the strength of a young child's rage, is another element too. More than one mother has expressed fear for her safety were their physically aggressive child's behavior not to improve as their size increased.
The unconscious is very powerful and one must respect its power.