Why Teens Are Turning to AI for Mental Health | Caroline Figueroa Kathleen HaddadandCaroline Figueroa May 22, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hp20260521.678596/full/?utm_campaign=podcast&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_5pkq8PnuqAadcApFNHaOcDcG4dbshilh1Vxs7b8VBEm4RH-Ms_OG9Ss9Oh1IfbrjQVQTdJu9CqECK6kfKXkZiv9vslQ&_hsmi=420157662&utm_content=hatw&utm_source=hasu Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of youth mental health challenges, including suicide and self-harm. Listener discretion is advised. Health Affairs Publishing’s Kathleen Haddad welcomes Caroline Figueroa of Stanford University to the pod to discuss how teens are using AI chatbots for mental health support and the factors driving that use, including access and stigma. It also discusses emerging concerns and potential approaches to improving safety, design, and oversight of these tools.