Using ChatGPT as an autistic ADHD (AuDHD) person

As someone who is both autistic and has ADHD (AuDHD), I struggle with executive function — the mental process that turns intentions into action. Emails can sit unsent because the reply feels too complex to tackle. I once delayed filling in a single form for 18 months because I didn’t know how to approach it or where to get help. That changed when I started asking ChatGPT for assistance.

There are serious issues with tools like ChatGPT. The environmental cost is significant, and large language models are often trained on data taken without consent — I’ve even found references to my own work. Hallucinations are another problem: AI will sometimes make things up and present them as fact. I once challenged a response, and it admitted, “Oh, you’re right.” Always verify important information. Despite these flaws, for me, the tool has been transformative.

I use ChatGPT daily on the free plan because I can’t justify £20/month for Plus. It has helped with everything from removing a sycamore tree from my yard — avoiding hours of unhelpful YouTube content — to building WordPress plugins without months of trial and error. I’ve learned that speed matters more for me than perfection. It’s better to bring an idea to life quickly and move on than to hyperfixate on something unnecessary. Yay, autism.

As a freelance photographer, I’ve found a shortage of truly useful resources. There are endless YouTube channels full of rambling opinions and forums where people argue over nothing, but almost no straightforward business advice for editorial/commercial photographers — certainly not advice tailored to someone with autism or ADHD. With ChatGPT, I can draft a client email and have it polished in seconds, saving me days of overthinking.

I’ve also used it to process my photography projects. Was a recent series pure documentary, or was it more self-exploration? Is it self-indulgent to include myself in the story, or is that authentic? ChatGPT helped me untangle those thoughts. Would a conversation with another photographer help? Perhaps, but layers of social anxiety and imposter syndrome often make that impossible. ChatGPT gave me clarity without the emotional cost. The work isn’t yet a published book, but I now have the confidence to take it further.

One of the most powerful features is its memory. The more I use it, the more it remembers: my work style, my photography, my needs as an AuDHD person. I no longer start from scratch with every Google search, drowning in irrelevant results. Instead, I have a tool that feels like an actual assistant — for life and for work.

Looking ahead, I want to integrate my accounting, time tracking, and mileage systems into a business dashboard, something that shows meaningful stats and helps me manage my freelance life. I saw Federico Viticci use Claude AI to generate follow-up topics from his old posts and thought: I could do that too.

Ideally, I’d hire a real assistant, but I can’t afford one. Even on the free tier, ChatGPT is a useful accessibility tool — one that helps me function, stay organised, and move forward. There is a danger that instead of overthinking something, I now over-discuss it with ChatGPT, spending ages debating with AI because it does not know when to stop and always wants to keep chatting. You have to be aware of these issues when using it, and if you are, it is incredibly useful.

Links

• ChatGPT Prompts for Autistics: How to use generative AI to make your life easier. "AI" might as well stand for Accommodation Invention, tbh
• ChatGPT Told Him He Was a Genius. Then He Lost His Grip on Reality.. A man turned to ChatGPT to get him through the emotional turmoil. But, like so many before him, it caused him to lose his grip on reality.
• I asked ChatGPT to psychoanalyse me. I asked ChatGPT for insights about myself based on my blog posts, and the results were eye-opening and surprisingly accurate!
• The Messy Truth About Running a Business While Disabled (And Why I Use AI on all my posts). Listen now | On Spoons, AI, and Making Space for Disabled Creators in Late-Stage Capitalism
• How to Use ChatGPT: An Executive Function Tool for ADHD Brains. “ChatGPT can help us hash things out so that we feel more prepared, comfortable, and confident in communicating with others.” Learn how adults with ADHD are using artificial intelligence as an executive function tool and creative outlet.
• How to Use AI for ADHD: AI Prompts for Daily Life. Your AI personal assistant is here! Learn how artificial intelligence can streamline your finances, plan meals, customize workouts, and more.
• For Some Autistic People, ChatGPT Is a Lifeline | WIRED. The chatbot can help rehearse communication skills and for some provides a resource to turn to when life is tough.
• archive.is. Chatbot Conversations Never End. That’s a Problem for Autistic People.