AI and the Treatment of Severe Mental Illnesses

Abstract

In addition, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionised approaches used in the management of mental diseases that put one's life at risk, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. Challenges associated with conventional techniques include a lack of symptom identification, subjectivity in assessing patient status, and limited access to specialised healthcare services. In that regard, AI has developed advanced predictive analytics, machine learning (ML), and natural language processing (NLP) to facilitate the deployment of SMIs by leveraging pattern recognition of behaviour, speech, and physiological parameters. AI Chatbots and virtual psychologists can monitor a person's mental wellness throughout the day without necessarily involving healthcare specialists. In addition, wearable devices worn by patients fitted with AI produce real-time signals, including heart rate variations and sleep patterns, which help pace the respondent's mental state. Recommendation engines based on artificial intelligence provide personalised plans for pharmaceutical and therapeutic interventions. With the above innovations in the hood, however, ethical concerns related to AI, such as data privacy, biases, and AI over-extrapolation, remain a concern. It is crucial to ensure transparency and regulation, as well as a human-AI partnership, for AI to thrive in mental healthcare services. This chapter explores how AI talks, listens, and helps people living with SMIs, examining the nature and limitations of AI in transforming the diagnosis and treatment of SMIs.