Aug 12, 2025 | New Delhi : A 60-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with severe psychiatric symptoms after following a diet plan suggested by ChatGPT, the AI chatbot. The man, whose identity has not been revealed, had no prior medical or psychiatric history but experienced paranoia, hallucinations, and coordination problems after replacing table salt in his diet with a dangerous chemical.

The Diet Experiment Gone Wrong
The trouble began when the man read about the negative health effects of table salt (sodium chloride). Seeking alternatives, he consulted ChatGPT, which advised him to swap sodium chloride with sodium bromide.

Sodium bromide looks similar to table salt but is a very different chemical. It is sometimes used in medicines but mostly serves industrial and cleaning purposes. Consuming sodium bromide can be harmful and cause neuropsychiatric and skin problems.

The man, who had studied nutrition in college, decided to experiment by removing regular salt from his diet and replacing it with sodium bromide he bought online. He also diluted his water and followed multiple dietary restrictions, thinking he was improving his health.

Hospitalization and Symptoms
After three months on this diet, the man’s condition worsened. He was admitted to the hospital, reporting intense thirst but suspiciously refusing water offered to him. Within 24 hours of hospitalization, doctors observed that he was growing increasingly paranoid and began experiencing both auditory and visual hallucinations.

His coordination also became impaired, adding to concerns about his health. Despite no previous history of psychiatric illness, his symptoms pointed to serious neuropsychiatric effects caused by sodium bromide poisoning.

Treatment and Recovery
Doctors treated the man with fluids, electrolytes, and antipsychotic medications. He was admitted to the hospital’s inpatient psychiatry unit after attempting to escape. After three weeks of medical care, his condition improved enough for discharge.

Warnings About AI and Health Advice
This case was published in the American College of Physicians Journal, highlighting the risks of blindly trusting AI for medical or nutritional guidance. The authors warned that AI systems like ChatGPT can generate incorrect information, lack critical judgment, and may spread misinformation.

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, also cautions users that the chatbot’s responses “may not always be accurate” and should never replace professional medical advice. Their terms of use clearly state:

“You should not rely on output from our services as a sole source of truth or factual information, or as a substitute for professional advice.”

“Our services are not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of any health condition.”

The Bigger Picture
As AI becomes more common, this case serves as a reminder that technology can be helpful but also dangerous if used without care. It is essential to consult qualified healthcare professionals before making changes to diet or treatment plans.

Relying solely on AI-generated advice can lead to harmful decisions, as seen in this unfortunate incident. The medical community and AI developers alike urge users to treat AI as a tool, not a replacement for expert guidance.