Sakib Alam Halder and Ritusmita Basu
The global mental health crisis, exacerbated by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, socioeconomic pressures, and increasing awareness, has starkly revealed the limitations of traditional care delivery models. Persistent barriers include a critical shortage of mental health professionals, geographic and economic inequities in access, stigma, and the one-size-fits-all nature of many therapeutic interventions. In this context, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force with the potential to augment, scale, and personalize mental healthcare. This 4000-word review paper synthesizes current evidence on the application of AI in mental health support and therapy. We categorize AI applications into three primary domains: (1) Detection, Screening, and Risk Stratification, utilizing data from wearables, speech patterns, social media, and electronic health records for early identification; (2) Intervention and Support, encompassing AI-guided digital therapeutics (e.g., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy chatbots), virtual reality exposure therapy, and AI-augmented clinical decision support for therapists; and (3) Progress Monitoring and Personalization, employing ecological momentary assessment and predictive analytics to tailor treatment. The paper critically examines the empirical evidence for efficacy, highlighting promising results for conditions like depression and anxiety, particularly in guided or blended formats. Crucially, it dedicates significant analysis to the profound ethical, clinical, and practical challenges inherent in this field, including algorithmic bias and health inequities, data privacy and security, the "black box" problem and clinician accountability, the risk of over-reliance on technology, and the need for robust regulatory frameworks. We conclude that AI is not a replacement for human clinicians but a powerful tool to create a more accessible, proactive, and personalized mental health ecosystem. Its successful integration hinges on a human-centered, ethically-grounded approach that prioritizes equity, transparency, and the irreplaceable therapeutic alliance.