One in five American adolescents, approximately 8.2 million individuals aged 12-21, are seeking mental health guidance from AI chatbots. This represents a significant increase of over 40 percent from the previous year, with nearly 43 percent of adolescents reporting monthly use. The trend is more prevalent among females and college-aged young adults, and notably, most users do not disclose this practice to anyone, even though 92 percent find the AI advice helpful. Researchers from RAND highlight concerns about the accuracy and consistency of AI advice, especially for developing adolescent brains, and recommend parental guidance on chatbot usage, data privacy, and recognizing when professional support is necessary.