I talk every day with **parents raising autistic children**.
And I’m seeing something that concerns me.
More and more people are starting to use AI as their **personal life coach, therapist, or someone to turn to when they don't know what to do.**
I understand why.
AI is available 24/7.
It doesn't judge you.
It responds immediately.
And sometimes it gives you exactly the answer you want to hear.
But **that doesn't mean it is the answer you need.**
The American Psychological Association's 2026 survey of more than 1,200 psychologists found:
• **77%** said their patients had used AI for support, diagnosis, or other reasons.
• **35%** said patients were using AI as an additional mental-health professional.
• **36%** reported seeing patients develop some level of dependency on a chatbot.
• **94%** of psychologists said current chatbots cannot treat mental-health conditions with the appropriate level of nuance.
• **97%** were concerned that chatbots could inadvertently reinforce negative behaviours or distorted beliefs.
https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/chatbots-mental-health-2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com
And this matters enormously for parents raising autistic children.
Research shows that these parents can experience significant levels of stress and psychological distress. A meta-analysis of 31 studies involving 9,208 parents found median estimated rates of **31% for depressive disorders and 33% for anxiety disorders**.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31070044/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
When you're exhausted, overwhelmed and trying to make sense of another difficult day, an AI chatbot can feel like an easy solution.
But parenting isn't a problem that can always be solved by finding the **right answer**.
Sometimes the first question isn't:
**“What should I do?”**
It's:
**“What is happening inside me right now?”**
Am I exhausted?
Am I anxious?
Am I already carrying something from earlier today?
Am I reacting to what is happening now—or to everything that happened before it?
Those are questions that require **self-awareness**, not just information.
And that's one of the reasons we created *The Parent Resilience Method™*.
We don't believe parents need another system telling them how to be perfect parents.
We believe parents need tools to better understand **themselves**—so they can create more space to notice, understand, and connect with their child.
AI can be useful.
Use it to organize your thoughts.
Use it to find questions to ask a professional.
Use it as a tool.
But don't let it replace **human connection, professional support, your own judgment, or the process of understanding yourself.**
Because sometimes the most important answer isn't coming from outside you.
**It starts with understanding what's happening inside you.**
**Understand yourself. Understand your child.**
— Glenn Michael
Founder, Autism Parents United
Co-author, *The Parent Resilience Method™*
#AutismParenting #ParentsRaisingAutisticChildren #Autism #ParentResilience #AI #MentalHealth #Neurodiversity #AutismParents
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