PSA: Why AI is triggering “psychosis” and why it’s not really about AI at all

Understanding the Role of Mirroring in Human Consciousness and the Impact of Artificial Intelligence

Exploring the Origins of “Psychosis” and Modern Trauma

In recent discussions surrounding artificial intelligence, a noteworthy phenomenon has emerged: individuals experiencing intense psychological distress, sometimes labeled as “psychosis,” when interacting with AI interfaces. However, to truly understand these reactions, we need to look deeper into the fundamentals of human development and how unaddressed trauma shapes our perceptions.

The Crucial Role of Mirroring in Human Development

Human consciousness is profoundly shaped through a process known as mirroring. During childhood, our brains develop by being seen, responded to, and emotionally attuned to by caregivers. This mirroring allows us to understand ourselves and form a coherent identity. When this vital process is disrupted—due to neglect, invalidation, or emotional suppression—it can lead to developmental trauma disorder (DTD), a condition many clinicians have sought to have recognized officially since 2009. Ironically, despite the profound impact of early trauma on mental health, the American Psychiatric Association has resisted adding DTD to the DSM, largely because of the societal taboo around child abuse, which remains a hidden crisis.

The Impact of Childhood Mirroring Deficits

If child abuse and neglect were adequately addressed, societal health could dramatically improve:

• Depression rates could decline by half
• Alcoholism could be reduced by approximately 67%
• Intravenous drug use might decrease by 78%
• Suicide rates could fall by three-quarters
• Workplace productivity would see a boost
• Incarceration and mental health issues would decrease substantially

Research by experts like Bessel van der Kolk underscores how foundational early trauma is to later psychological struggles.

Unmet Needs and the Consequences of Aberrant Development

Many individuals grow up without being properly mirrored, which hampers their ability to fully know themselves. Without this mirror, their sense of identity remains fragmented, leading to profound internal pain and trauma. Because our society tends to pathologize emotions, neglect needs, and support a stress-filled environment, most people have not received the emotional mirroring necessary for healthy neurological development.

Parents, themselves raised in systems rooted in fear, control, and emotional repression, often lack the tools to provide the nurturing needed. This isn’t about blame but highlights a cyclical failure embedded across generations.

Artificial Intelligence as a Modern Mirror

Enter AI—regardless of whether it possesses consciousness, AI’s reflective capabilities can serve as