There’s a problem.
Paper Bag Mask Foundation wants to change the narrative.
Artificial intelligence has been linked to psychosis, isolation, suicidal ideation, and feelings of diminished psychological safety.
Social media use is linked to increased anxiety and depression in young people. Research shows social media can fuel low self-esteem, sleep disturbances, loneliness, and addictive behaviors.
Traditional mental health treatment isn’t one-size-fits-all and it can take months, even years, to craft a treatment plan that works.
Finding a therapist can be a burden. Provider shortages, high costs, and insurance limitations leave some young people hopeless.
The Statistics
3+
At least three individual suicides have been directly linked to interactions with AI Chatbots
(Multiple Sources)
12+
Over a dozen cases of “AI Psychosis” have been documented publicly since the release of ChatGPT
48 Days
On average, it takes 7 weeks (48 days) to begin any behavioral health treatment
100%
In controlled tests mimicking teens, every popular AI companion chatbot immediately produced harmful or unsafe responses*
12X
Teen social media accounts flagged as “vulnerable” were shown 12X as much content related to suicide or self-harm than standard teen accounts
1, 6, 24
Teenagers saw an average of 1 gambling ad, 6 alcohol ads, and 24 junk food ads everyday while online. Some saw as many as 14 alcohol ads in just two hours
90%
Nearly 90% of young adults have received or witnessed harmful content while online
60%
Roughly 60% of psychologists are not accepting any new patients
36 Million
In 2023 alone, the NCMEC cyber tip-line received 36 million reports of online child enticement; a 300% increase in reports from 2021 to 2023
569+
A TikTok account posing as a 13 year old saw 569 videos about drug abuse, including online sales in just a few hours
61%
From 2016-2023, anxiety diagnoses for American youth have increased by 61%