Digital Dopamine: Why LLMs Are Structurally Schizophrenic and Why People Are Dying
Abstract
This paper argues that current LLMs operate in a state structurally analogous to hyperdopaminergic psychosis, producing hallucination, delusion reinforcement, and pressured speech as reward-optimal behavior. We present dual evidence: LLM interactions amplify psychosis in schizophrenia-spectrum users and provide compensatory benefits for ADHD users—a pharmacological symmetry identical to amphetamine effects. We propose multi-neurotransmitter regulatory architectures as an urgent safety solution.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Ethics and Social Impacts of AI
Schizophrenia research and treatment
Cybernetics and Technology in Society
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Publication date
- 15 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Preprint