His psychosis was a mystery–until doctors learned about ChatGPT's health advice

Summary

A 60-year-old man arrived at a Seattle hospital convinced his neighbor was poisoning him. Though medically stable at first, he soon developed hallucinations and paranoia. The cause turned out to be bromide toxicity—triggered by a health experiment he began after consulting ChatGPT. The case, published in Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases, highlights a rare but reversible form of psychosis that may have been influenced by generative artificial intelligence.Psychosis is a mental state characterized by a disconnection from reality. It often involves hallucinations, where people hear, see, or feel things that are not there, or delusions, which are fixed beliefs that persist despite clear evidence to the contrary. People experiencing psychosis may have difficulty distinguishing between real and imagined experiences, and may behave in ways that seem irrational or confusing to others.Psychosis is not a diagnosis in itself, but a symptom that can appear in a variety of medical and psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression. It can also be triggered by brain injuries, infections, or toxic substances.The man’s initial presentation was unusual but not dramatic. He came to the emergency department reporting that his neighbor was trying to poison him. His vital signs and physical examination were mostly normal. Routine laboratory tests, however, revealed some striking abnormalities: extremely high chloride levels, a highly negative anion gap, and severe phosphate deficiency. Despite this, he denied using any medications or supplements.As doctors searched for answers, his mental state worsened. Within a day, he was hallucinating and behaving erratically. He had to be placed on a psychiatric hold and was started on risperidone to manage his symptoms. But a deeper look at his bloodwork suggested a rare toxic condition: bromism.Bromism occurs when bromide—a chemical similar to chloride—builds up in the body to toxic levels. His...