AI Health Tools: Support, Not Medical Advice
Important upfront: these tools are not doctors. They don't diagnose. They don't treat. They don't replace professional healthcare. Ever.
What they can do: provide information, help track habits, offer support between appointments. Useful supplements to actual healthcare. Not substitutes for it.
What's Available
Mental wellness support. Chatbots offering coping strategies, mood tracking, stress management techniques. Can help—not therapy, but something. For mild stress and daily wellness, potentially valuable.
Fitness and nutrition guidance. Workout plans, meal suggestions, habit tracking. Personalized to your goals. Better than generic advice, not as good as personal trainers or dietitians.
Health information. Symptom checkers, condition explainers, medication info. Can help you understand what you're dealing with. Should prompt professional consultation, not replace it.
The Critical Caveat
These are information tools, not healthcare providers. They can be wrong. They can miss important things. They can't see you, examine you, know your full history.
Use them to prepare questions for doctors. Use them to track things between appointments. Use them for general wellness support. Don't use them for diagnosis or treatment decisions.
Common Questions
Can AI chatbots replace therapy?
No. They can provide some support for mild issues, but professional mental health care involves assessment, diagnosis, and treatment that AI cannot provide. For serious concerns, see a professional.
How accurate are symptom checkers?
Varies, and never accurate enough for actual diagnosis. Use them to understand possibilities and decide urgency, then consult a professional. They're starting points, not conclusions.