Autistic 19-year-old on using ChatGPT for emotional support, stigma and crisis-line gaps
MoonlightAndStar · reddit · 2026-09-06
A 19-year-old autistic Reddit user posted a candid reflection on using ChatGPT for emotional support, describing the shame attached to it and why they keep doing it anyway: crisis hotlines involve 30-minute waits and robotic scripts, and many dark-but-not-crisis thoughts fit neither friends nor hotlines. They acknowledge relying on a chatbot can become a problem, say they monitor for signs of dependence, and argue that people who've never experienced the flaws of support systems are judging from a place of privilege.
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