Which tool to choose
There's no best tool in absolute terms: it depends on what you need now.
You just want to empty your head and get a practical tip (reframe a thought, organize a chaotic day, find 5 minutes to breathe): use ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude in the free version. They're flexible, you write as you speak and they reply tailored to you. The limit: they're not designed for mental health, so they need to be guided well with the right prompts (I'll give them to you below).
You want a structured, anonymous path, without having to figure out the "how" yourself: choose Wysa. The chatbot combines cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical-behavior therapy (DBT) tools with meditation and breathing techniques. It's anonymous and free. The premium version serves to unlock the full library of exercises.
You want guided meditations and a voice that accompanies you: there's Ebb from Headspace, but it requires a paid subscription and for now has major language limits (I'll tell you about it in the troubleshooting section). Keep it as an option if you already pay for Headspace.
For most readers: start from free ChatGPT and add Wysa if you want ready-made exercises. A note before you start: these apps don't replace an expert's help. If you often feel in difficulty, don't rely only on do-it-yourself.
How to do it
The principle is one: the AI doesn't read your mind, you have to give it context and a clear task. The more specific you are, the more useful the answer.
- Open ChatGPT (in a browser or in the app, the path doesn't change): go to chatgpt.com or open the app, even without a paid account.
- Don't write "I'm stressed". Describe the real situation: what happened today, what you feel in your body, what you fear.
- Paste a prompt that turns the venting into something actionable. The syntax to dump and reframe:
I'm having a rough day. Now I'll tell you what's going through my head,
unfiltered. Don't give me solutions right away. First, reflect back in two lines
what I said, so I know I've been heard. Then help me
distinguish what depends on me and what doesn't. Finally, propose a single concrete
step to take in the next 30 minutes, achievable and at zero cost.
Use a warm and direct tone, no clichés.
Here's what's weighing on me: [write here freely]
- Feedback: if the answer seems generic or textbook-like, reply "too vague, bring it down to my concrete situation". The AI corrects its aim within the same exchange.
For physical and mental fatigue at the end of the day, change the goal. The syntax to recover energy:
I'm exhausted but I still have to [what's left to do]. I have [how many] minutes
and zero desire. Suggest 3 micro-breaks to take now, each under 5
minutes: one of movement, one of breathing, one of pure pleasure. Keep in mind
that [any limits: I'm in the office / I have the kids / I can't go out].
This second prompt works because the chatbot is good at combining your preferences in ways that often don't come to mind. The key is to give precise information about where you live, what resources you have, what your time or budget limits are: the more details you provide, the more feasible the suggestions become.
If you have paid ChatGPT, you can automate a wellbeing reminder. The Tasks feature is available for Plus and Pro subscribers and syncs across web, mobile and desktop. Set a daily cue:
Every day at 13:00, send me a short reflection prompt (maximum
50 words) on managing stress. Also ask me a single question
that helps me notice how I'm doing. No clichés.
Concrete example
Marta, an office worker, Monday evening: three deadlines slipped, a headache, and that feeling of having accomplished nothing. She opens ChatGPT, pastes the first prompt and writes off the cuff: "I spent the day putting out other people's fires, I didn't touch my own project, tomorrow the meeting and I feel incompetent."
The AI reflects her thought back, then separates: tomorrow's meeting depends on her (she can prepare it), the fact that colleagues interrupt her constantly doesn't. As a step for the next 30 minutes it proposes: write on a sheet of paper the three things she'll say in the meeting, close the laptop, take a shower.
Marta writes the three things in ten minutes. The "I accomplished nothing" deflates: she did one concrete thing for tomorrow. The shower breaks the loop. The stress hasn't disappeared, but she's gone from "I'm incompetent" to "I have a starting point". It's the kind of use these tools work for: support for everyday stress and mild or moderate problems.
When the AI doesn't work (and how to fix it)
If the AI invents advice or data
Generic models confidently state imprecise things, especially about sleep, supplements or "miracle techniques". Don't take medical advice from a chatbot as gospel. Use it to reflect and organize yourself, not for diagnosis. For any persistent physical symptom (chronic insomnia, fatigue that doesn't pass with rest) the trip to the doctor comes before the prompt.
If you feel lonelier after talking to the bot
It happens: the conversation ends and you're left with emptiness. It's a signal, not a failure of the tool. If the AI has been your only interlocutor for weeks, use it to take the first step toward a real person: ask it to help you write the message to a friend, or to look for a psychologist in your area with a prompt like "find me ways to contact a therapist in [city], including public services and helplines".
If the stress becomes too much
If thoughts of harming yourself appear, despair or crises you can't manage, stop and seek a person. These tools don't diagnose, don't cure and don't replace clinical care from licensed professionals. In Italy call 112 for emergencies or contact a helpline like Telefono Amico (02 2327 2327). An app is not the right place for an emergency.
If the English app doesn't help you
Ebb from Headspace is promising but today it remains inaccessible to those who speak only Italian: the functions are reserved for adult subscribers in English in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Headspace plans to extend access to other countries, with more voice and language options. Until Italian arrives, the way out is to use ChatGPT or Gemini in Italian: they understand and respond in your language without geographic limits, and with the prompts above they cover the same need for support.
A tip from someone who actually uses it
The value isn't in the AI's answer: it's in the act of writing the problem. Forcing yourself to put into words "what exactly is weighing on me" already does half the work, because it turns a cloud of anxiety into manageable sentences. That's why the best prompt is the one that asks you to write first and receive advice after. Keep a fixed chat titled "mental dump" and go back there every evening for two minutes: you'll see the recurring patterns emerge, and that's where you understand what to really change.
Frequently asked questions
Can AI replace a psychologist?
No, and no serious tool promises it. AI-based mental health apps are not an alternative to professional therapists, especially for serious conditions. They're useful for mild everyday stress and as support between one session and another, not in place of a clinical path.
Do I have to pay to use them?
No, to get started. ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude have free versions that cover the uses in this guide. Wysa is anonymous and free; paying only unlocks extra content. The automatic functions of ChatGPT (Tasks) and Ebb from Headspace remain paid.
Is my data safe if I write personal things?
It depends on the tool. Wysa is designed for anonymity: it reminds you that you don't need to provide personal data. With generic chatbots, treat the chat as a recordable conversation: don't paste your full name, identifiable health data or documents. A practical rule for any app: these tools can shut down or change their rules suddenly, so save what's precious to you elsewhere and choose tools that let you export your data. In ChatGPT you can also turn off training on your conversations from the data settings.
But does it really work or is it just self-suggestion?
There's research backing it, not just a placebo effect. A 2017 clinical trial found significant reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety after two weeks of using a CBT chatbot, and studies on Wysa show improvements in anxiety and emotional regulation, especially when the app is used together with human support. The key word is "together": the AI amplifies a path, it doesn't do it in your place. If you use it to avoid all human contact it works against you; if you use it to take the first step, it's a concrete ally.