AI therapists in Italy may ease access where stigma and costs persist

Use of AI therapy apps has grown among people in Italy amid limited public mental health provision and persistent stigma, and surveys point to cost and lack of workplace support as common barriers.

Many people in Italy are turning to AI-based therapy apps as a way to get emotional support. The change is happening against a backdrop of longstanding stigma about mental illness and under-resourced public services. Cost, limited workplace provisions, and cultural attitudes all shape who seeks help and how. Personal accounts in the article describe users finding AI tools free, always available and less judgmental than in-person options. Key facts: - A 2025 survey cited in the article found 81% of Italians considered mental health issues a form of weakness and 57% named cost as the main barrier to accessing help. - Italy spends less on mental health than other EU countries, and an estimated 5 million Italians need support but cannot afford it, according to the article. - The 1978 Basaglia law closed large psychiatric hospitals and shifted care to community services, but the system remains under-resourced and awareness is limited. - A retired therapist from Sicily described being the only therapist for more than 200,000 people across four districts and managing a very large caseload, which led him to run group sessions. - Some users in smaller towns report that AI therapists feel liberating and nonjudgmental, and allow discussion of issues (including sexuality) they feared raising with local clinicians. - The government announced plans last year to expand psychological services, but the article reports it is unclear how much those plans will benefit the wider population. Summary: AI therapy apps are being adopted by many in Italy as an accessible, often free way to talk about personal concerns in a social context where stigma and cost limit use of traditional services. The article notes some government expansion plans were announced, but how broadly those will improve access is undetermined at this time.