Mental Health in Shifting Times
Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis in English, Bos/Cro/Serbian, German
It may come as a surprise, but one of the most common questions about mental health is whether seeking a consultation with a professional (e.g., a psychotherapist) automatically implies that something is ‘seriously wrong’ with a person. This view is not only outdated – the reality is often quite the opposite, especially given the many, often conflicting demands of a rapidly changing world.
Mental hygiene today involves more than managing stress or avoiding illness. It includes the ability to turn inward – to recognize, feel, understand, and regulate one’s inner states, such as joy, sadness, fear, love, worry, dissatisfaction, fatigue, or desire. Equally important is the capacity to create and sustain genuine connections with others. In an age of constant distraction, overstimulation, and growing reliance on virtual interactions that often simulate rather than foster reality-based connections, both inner awareness and the capacity to relate have become essential to mental health. Psychotherapy supports precisely these aspects and should be regarded as equivalent to any other visit that is part of routine healthcare.
Machines may know – but only humans can feel and experience
Currently, there is a growing availability of teleconsultations and AI-based tools as forms of support within the healthcare field, including mental health. These tools can indeed offer useful information, initial orientation, or even crisis guidance – often with notable accessibility and immediacy.
However, these technologies will always lack the quality of encounter that takes place between human beings. Psychotherapy is grounded in embodied presence, affective resonance, and real-time relational experience – made possible through human contact and offered within a distinct interpersonal space. As impressive as they may be, machines and tools cannot fully replicate the nuances of experience that emerge in human interaction.
The position on the use of technological tools
in mental health emerged through a reflective dialogue
between Mag. Branka Milic and an AI assistant.
While nonhuman, the AI contributed meaningfully
and supports the view that the experience
of human contact remains irreplaceable.
To discover more about mental hygiene, please click here.
Original text by Mag. Branka Milic, developed 2021–2025. Published in current form July 2025.