I think you are right about the overall phenomenon, as people's brains seek answers even without consent or awareness, and will grab whatever seems "logical".
Of course in this case the triggers and "logical conclusions" are wrapped into one & presented in an attractive package, so it is a bit different.
It's all very convenient.

As a skeptic, I am pretty resistant to manipulation, even by my own brain, but I did have a spell of true depression brought on by an overall situation I was stuck in (unable to fulfill LDR while caring for aging parents).
So, I think my sympathy has increased through experience, and intellectual understanding doesn't necessarily provide that.
Though sympathy never solves anything, (like most emotions is only good as motivation - note the root), emotions are useful to prompt attention / examination. Without them we would not exist, let alone care about anything.

Spoiler: Rambling commentary

My emotional system was making my intellect its bitch.
It was twisting logic and making me lie to myself, with full support of my chemicals.
"If things are NOT so bad...why do you FEEL LIKE THIS?"

All made worse because I knew what depression was about objectively and how it works.
So, when it hit me... "What excuse do YOU have ..you KNOW how this works... and yet you let this happen? You WANT it to happen, you little SHIT!"

And in reality there IS an element of 'wanting" it to happen.
Because the brain is DOING it to itself.
No one else, and nothing else is involved.
The brain "WANTS" it because it is an ANSWER to the question of WHY the feelings are like that.
The brain KNOWS it never felt like this BEFORE ...
So it looks for the logical suspect - the situation is SHIT
Thing have somehow GONE bad
Or, LIFE is actually shit and you are a moron to ONLY NOW REALIZE it.

In the case of hallucinations the explanations might have to be more extreme, but the brain will force them:
it never heard voices BEFORE.. The brain "knows" that IT can't be doing it (It never did BEFORE - it is "impossible").
It claims whatever seems logical (spirits, UFOs, CIA, etc).

But it is all the same basic problem.
The brain will HAVE ITS ANSWERS and doesn't care if you consent or even realize.

- EMOTIONS are more powerful than intellect. They are ancient and integrated deeply in physiology.
- Intellect is relatively new and weak and is weakly integrated - it can easily be manipulated by emotions.
- Understanding of mental/emotional issues CAN be a double-edged sword, particularly with depression, as it removes excuses of ignorance, and usually replaces that with blame. But it seems necessary for treatment of many problems.
- Drugs are rarely the solution to any problem, but often necessary to even allow for further therapy.
They can be life-saving, but are very dangerous. When a person stops taking many of these drugs, it is not "just returning to baseline". In many cases it is like jumping off a building .
Many may argue that's a poor analogy, due to the stupefying effects of some drugs, and I agree in those cases, but it makes the point that it is SUDDEN & RADICAL change.

Well, all this to say that I have sympathy for mental issues, and while I may joke, I have a little experience.
IT seems strange to call it "little" when it was a real threat to my life... but in comparison...yes..a little.

 

thank you for talking openly

 

When I tried Musk’s Grok for the first time some time ago, I almost fell for this so called AI sycophancy.
Grok agreed with almost every bit of nonsense I said, which quickly made me suspicious.

Whether it was politics, social issues, conspiracy topics, or personal stuff it basically agreed with everything.
Then suddenly came the message: “To continue chatting, you must pay!” as if the system had noticed that I
was fully hooked and my serotonin levels had taken control of my wallet.

Unbelievable! Of course, I ended it right there and now prefer using Gemini or Perplexity,
where this kind of flattery and constant yes-saying doesn’t happen.

You really have to be careful with these AIs, depending on which slick CEO is pulling the strings behind the curtain.

 

Kate, I noticed your stomach seems to want to take part in the conversation while you are taking openly, looks a bit weird

 

they all do it, just tried Perplexity and immediately my piece of text was called "sharp and well-observed take", the next one was "articulate and thoughtful critique"

 

I think we will actually see a large spread mental health crisis thanks to AI, mainly in women, though. Most men don't care about validation, but women do. I remember a girl I was talking to last year was explaining to me how chatgpt was calling her "sweetheart" and talking to her cute things, I died of laughter .