“I thought about committing suicide, but AI helped me”: When the therapist in Africa is a chatbot

Themba Anesu (a pseudonym), a 25-year-old journalist from Zimbabwe, has been struggling with depression for some time after an illness necessitated a hysterectomy. She turns to Artificial Intelligence (AI ) for comfort and psychological support. As a young woman who knows she will never be able to conceive, she finds it extremely difficult to cope with people asking her questions about motherhood.

“At one point I thought about committing suicide, but AI helped me. Early in the morning it would show me motivational quotes without me having to ask for them. They calmed me down and I turned to them whenever I had bad moments,” she explains.

The WHO warns that some 150 million people in Africa suffer from some mental health problem, compared to 53 million affected in 1990. But on the continent there is one psychiatrist for every 500,000 inhabitants, 100 times less than recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The international organization also estimates that suicide affects 11.5 out of every 100,000 people in Africa , a figure higher than the global average (9 per 100,000 people), due in part to a lack of measures to address and prevent risk factors, including mental illness. The WHO and UNICEF emphasize that children and young people are especially vulnerable , and Africa is a continent where 70% of the population is under 30 years old.

“The first time I saw a psychologist in person was at an event organized by an international NGO. Even our schools don't usually have a department or a professional dedicated to guidance and counseling. So I turned to AI, which is there and doesn't judge,” Anesu summarizes. “AI isn't a drug that allows me to escape briefly, nor is it a temporary solution. I feel that, with time, and not too long, I will heal permanently,” she affirms.

It's not easy to find therapists and counselors where I live, and besides, I think it's easier to use AI.

Edem Rejoice, Nigerian student

There is a shortage of therapists.

This newspaper spoke with a dozen young Africans who turn to AI for psychological support, comfort, and strength during stressful times, such as exam periods. Their stories vary, but they all emphasize that they can speak without fear of judgment and that it is an affordable technology that allows them to remain anonymous.

Edem Rejoice (not her real name), a 19-year-old Nigerian student and baker, also turns to AI whenever she feels sad and alone. “It gives me a sense of security. I feel like it’s a comfortable space to say everything I think. Unlike people, it doesn’t judge me, and I find it a very comfortable space to express myself privately,” she explains.

AI has also significantly changed her student life. “For example, during exam periods, it helps me organize my schedule and manage stress, which improves my concentration and mental well-being,” Rejoice explains. She uses this technology, in part, due to a lack of alternatives . “It’s not easy to find therapists and counselors where I live, and I also find it easier to use AI.”

A 2024 survey conducted by KnowBe4 with a sample of 1,300 people in South Africa, Botswana, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, Mauritius, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia concluded that a significant number of people in Africa and the Middle East regularly use generative AI. Specifically, 26% of respondents use it daily, 42% several times a week, and 25% occasionally.

According to Nigerian doctor Adebowale Jesutofunmi, an expert in child and adolescent mental health, AI has become an "antidote to loneliness" for many people, even though it lacks human empathy and cannot think or understand, and therefore offers no definitive solutions. According to the expert, this tool can have the opposite effect and further isolate individuals if it replaces human contact and personal relationships.

“The risks become much clearer in emergency situations. When someone has suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, or delusions, their life may be in danger. In those moments, AI cannot intervene to help instantly. Moreover, in these cases, AI could even help a teenager carry out their suicidal plans,” he estimates in an interview with this newspaper.

For Ayo Adelu (a pseudonym), a 23-year-old student from Nigeria , “AI may not provide all the solutions, but it is always ready to respond quickly.”

“It helps me have fewer suicidal thoughts. If I explain how I feel, it tells me why I might feel that way and suggests solutions. But the truth is, it’s better to talk to someone who truly understands you and is there for you. AI isn’t going to ask you how you are,” she clarifies.

The young woman insists that it's important not to rely completely on this technology. “Even when I chat with AI, I combine my own thoughts with the ideas it gives me before making any decisions. The truth is, it hasn't changed my life at all.”

The first time I saw a psychologist in person was at an event organized by an international NGO. Even our schools almost never have a department or a professional dedicated to guidance and counseling. So I turned to AI, which is there and doesn't judge.

Themba Anesu, Zimbabwean journalist

Western bias

Dr. Jesutofunmi acknowledges that many young people turn to AI due to the stigma surrounding mental health in many parts of Africa, and also the financial burden of therapy. “Therapy requires follow-up, through calls or visits. AI lacks the initiative to provide the ongoing care that is essential for recovery,” she adds.

“In mental health, the patient’s psychological and social context is very important, and chatbots designed in the West often fail to consider many local nuances that are fundamental in Africa. Therefore, the AI’s assessment and reactions may be insufficient,” explains Jesutofunmi.

Anesu, the young journalist from Zimbabwe, admits that sometimes she has to explain her problems in great detail because "AI tools are created within a Western context, for other circumstances, ways of life and cultures."

Only 0.02% of internet content is available in African languages, limiting the development of AI models that can meet the continent's linguistic and cultural needs, according to data released to coincide with South Africa's G-20 presidency.

According to Abdulrahmon Habibat, a Nigerian mental health counselor, cultural beliefs often exacerbate mental illness. She explains that, for example, if a new mother experiences stress and postpartum depression, she frequently hears things like, "This is happening to you because you've never experienced anything like this before," "Don't worry, you'll get over it," and other clichés that influence how she cares for her child. This unresolved trauma can then accompany the child into adulthood.

Therefore, Habibat believes that one solution to reduce stigma, isolation, and the reliance on AI when experiencing emotional distress would be to encourage young people to pursue careers in mental health and consider it as a possible profession, and to urge educational institutions to establish psychological counseling units. “If the institutions that educate young people aren’t interested in mental health, why would young people see it as important?” she asks.