Not All Answers Are Helpful: How AI Can Reinforce OCD Reassurance-Seeking

AI tools like ChatGPT can feel like the perfect place to turn when your brain won’t stop spinning. You type in your worry, get an answer, and for a moment, the anxiety calms down. But if you live with OCD or anxiety, that short-term relief can actually feed the cycle. The more you ask, the more you need to keep asking - whether it’s “What if I hurt someone without knowing?” or “Am I a bad person for having this thought?” Instead of quieting the spiral, AI can become part of it, offering reassurance that fades almost as quickly as it arrives. Over time, that habit can make obsessions feel stronger and the urge to check even harder to resist.