Tech Fears in Psychosis: What the Mind Makes Up

People with psychosis sometimes fear that technology is out to get them. They might think a chip has been slipped into their body, that someone is watching them through their phone, or that a computer program is controlling their thoughts. These ideas are not new; they have shown up in different forms as gadgets and networks changed.

To understand how these tech‑related worries have evolved, a team searched medical databases without any date limits. They looked at PubMed, Scopus and PsycInfo, chased down older references, and gathered any study, case report, or review that talked about delusions involving devices, the internet, or AI.

The search turned up forty‑three pieces of work. Nine were case reports or short series, the rest were reviews, original research, and conceptual articles. Using a narrative method guided by the SANRA framework, the authors wove the findings together to see patterns across time.

What emerged is that the brain’s threat detection system can misfire when surrounded by fast‑changing tech cues. At the same time, stories about hacking, surveillance and AI in the news feed those fears. Clinicians should ask about specific gadgets or online experiences when assessing patients, and tailor coping strategies that address both the mistaken beliefs and the real‑world tech stressors