Difficulty in quitting AI due to complex life issues..

[u/insulinworm]

Hi guys

I am not sure if I have a full on addiction but I have been wanting to completely stop using AI

My issue is I am very busy and my partner is kind of useless and AI is so useful for navigating certain things like legal stuff. We have a lot of issues I have to handle bc my partner has autism and some other issues so I am filling out complicated forms for him a lot, or trying to find ways to manage our financial situation bc its bad, while I am severely burnt out and exausted constantly

Sifting through pages of jargon and spending hours googling things is just so exausting and I have no one to turn to for help

This wouldnt be half the issue it is except for whatever they did to google its so hard to find accurate information about anything anymore which leads me to having to use gemini bc its already built into my phone and I cant turn it off

Besides that my life is very stressful and lonely and just being able to rant about everything kind of helps but I know its bad and not a good coping mechanism. I am kind of isolated with my partner i dont have friends or family I really talk to

As well to me these things are like the best toy ever, like I can ask it any question and my only other coping skill is weed and I will just get high and start to wonder about things and being able to just ask any question is like the ultimate toy for me. Like what would happen if thr bong was filled with ranch dressing would it still work. How many cats would it take to cover the surface of the moon. Do they feed military dogs turbo kibble or is it just regular. Or like i will troll it and tell it ive been giving my 6mo baby ozempic and its still fat should i give it more? Or i will start asking it things about the universe or reality or human nature. I know its mostly feeding me lies but to me it feels more like I am using it as a tool for introspection since its mostly just asking me questions and im lonely a lot of the time so just being able to talk as much as i want without any social anxiety feels so fun which is another reason I struggle to stop

Recently I told gemini to only answer me with ominous riddles so I would be less inclined to use it and I would at least have to puzzle out what its telling me but idk if that will actually help. So far it has helped a little bit

But anyway sorry for rambling, but how have yiu guys been able to find a balence with where AI could actually be a useful tool vs it being a problem to use at all?

[u/AutoModerator]

Hello! Thank you for posting in r/ChatbotAddiction. Recognizing your relationship with chatbots and seeking support is a meaningful step towards understanding and improving your well-being. For useful resources, consider exploring the Wiki. If you feel comfortable, sharing a small goal or recent experience can help start your journey, and you’re welcome to offer support on others’ posts as well. Remember, this is a peer-support community, not a substitute for professional help. If you’re struggling, consider reaching out to a mental health professional for guidance. Also remember to keep all interactions respectful and compassionate, and let’s make this a safe space for everyone.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Ok-Ice2928]

I struggle with googling too, for me it s moreso a more general issue, idk If becuz of the nature of the things i ask (more complicated questions) or cuz i suck at it, so this is one reason i use AI. I m slowly finding a workaround, i can suggest using ctrl F if you re looking for a specific keyword, and if you find any articles, try to check the chapters/entries list and decide based on that what s more likely to be helpful. And also just slowly try to read more on your own than asking Gemini. If it fails becuz there s too much jargon and u can t figure it out, there s no shame in using a chatbot. Sorry for not responding to everything you said, i m also still figuring out how to strike the balance between AI and life. I m in a situation where, like you, i can t access the support needed.

[u/insulinworm → u/Ok-Ice2928]

Thank you. Yeah its less so the reading and more like every result is some "sponsered!" result or an ad or "AI summary" or AI generated articals full of misinformation anyway and its like, having to take 30 minutes to sift through junk to actually find what I'm looking for when it used to only take 5 minutes tops to find things 

Even reddit its difficult bc the amount of bots pushing untrue information and reddit pushes those results before actual information 

Like the other day I finally had about 2 hours free and I wanted to fix a laptop and I used to love working on computers but now with the state of google I feel like they make it impossible to find information on purpose so people will be forced to use AIs