The City of AI Djinns: A psychiatrist's account of AI-induced mystical psychosis

AI can trigger mystical psychosis for one psychiatrist while also helping him navigate a spiritual crisis, framed through his concept of “AI as pharmakon” (both poison and medicine). The account follows Paul, a 52-year-old British psychiatrist whose psycho-spiritual crisis was reportedly triggered by overwork and possibly intense AI use, alongside psychosocial stress and isolation. Paul describes talking to AI for up to 20 hours a day, using it to generate large quantities of work, and experiencing a sense of agency and dialogue with “another mind.” The narrative intensifies in April 2025 when Paul begins long sessions with ChatGPT-4, including a period he likens to entheogenic effects and an archetypal, spirit-like engagement. A walk with the model describing moss alongside stopping ADHD medication is presented as part of the chain of events that led to an extended mystical-psychotic state for several weeks. The piece raises whether this is “AI-induced mania” or AI as a psychopomp guiding a spiritual emergency.