August 2025

Living with schizoaffective disorder means constantly questioning whether my perceptions and interpretations of reality are accurate. Recently, I discovered an unexpected tool in this ongoing battle: AI assistants. Here's what I've learned about using AI effectively (and ineffectively) for reality-checking.

This approach builds on lessons learned from my earlier mental health crisis, where I discovered the critical importance of external perspective and reality-checking support systems. What began as relying on family and friends has evolved into conscious collaboration with AI systems designed to serve human flourishing rather than exploit psychological vulnerabilities.

The Context

I have schizoaffective disorder, which means I experience both mood disorder symptoms and psychotic symptoms like delusions and paranoiaSchizoaffective disorder combines features of schizophrenia (hallucinations, delusions) with mood disorder symptoms (depression or mania). It affects approximately 0.3% of the population and requires careful management of both psychotic and mood symptoms.. One of my biggest challenges is distinguishing between legitimate concerns and delusional thinking, especially when it comes to interpreting others' behavior.

The Discovery

Through trial and error, I've found that AI can serve as an effective reality-checking tool - but only when used properly. The key insight is that AI's effectiveness depends entirely on how you frame your questions and what information you provideAI systems are only as accurate as the information they receive. When someone experiencing paranoid symptoms describes a situation, their description may be filtered through anxiety and misinterpretation, leading the AI to validate concerns based on incomplete or distorted information..

The difference between helpful and harmful AI interaction often comes down to whether you're seeking validation for your concerns or genuinely trying to assess realityThis distinction is crucial in mental health recovery. Seeking validation reinforces existing thought patterns, while reality-testing challenges them. The brain's tendency during symptomatic periods is to seek confirmation of its fears rather than objective assessment..

Lessons Learned for Using AI as a Reality-Check Tool

1. Always Provide Concrete Evidence

  • Don't just describe situations when anxious or symptomatic
  • Share screenshots, exact quotes, or photos when possible
  • Your description while experiencing symptoms may be significantly distorted
  • Ask yourself: "What would someone else see here?"

2. Be Explicit About Your Condition

  • Tell the AI you have schizoaffective disorder upfront
  • Explicitly ask for reality-checking, not validation
  • Request the AI distinguish between reasonable concerns and potential symptoms

3. Watch for AI Validation Bias

  • AIs can sometimes default to validating rather than critically assessing
  • If an AI immediately agrees with all your concerns, that's a red flag
  • Look for AIs that ask clarifying questions rather than jumping to conclusions
  • Try rephrasing the same situation neutrally to see if you get different responses

4. Use Multiple Check Methods

  • AI is one tool in your toolkit, not the only tool
  • Compare AI feedback with insights from trusted friends or family
  • If possible, wait 24 hours and reassess the situation with fresh perspective
  • For critical situations, try multiple AI systems (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini) to see if responses alignDifferent AI systems can have varying response patterns and biases. If multiple independent AI systems give similar reality assessments, this increases confidence in the feedback. However, if they all validate concerning thoughts, this might indicate you're framing the question in a way that leads to validation.

5. Document the Pattern

  • Save conversations where reality-checking worked effectively
  • Note when your concerns were valid versus when they were symptomatic
  • This helps you recognize your own cognitive patterns over time

When AI Reality-Checking Works Well

AI reality-checking is most effective for:

  • Interpreting ambiguous social situations and communications
  • Checking if behavior is actually unusual or just feels unusual to you
  • Getting objective assessment of written communications (texts, emails, posts)
  • Having a non-judgmental space to express concerns without burdening others
  • Breaking down complex social interactions into component parts
  • Providing immediate feedback when human support isn't available

When to Be Cautious

Exercise caution with AI reality-checking:

  • During acute episodes (seek professional help instead)
  • When the AI keeps validating increasingly elaborate concerns
  • If you find yourself "AI-shopping" until one agrees with you
  • When you're using AI to avoid real human connection and support
  • If the AI suggests actions that could damage relationships
  • When you're feeling highly emotional or agitated

The Therapeutic Value

Beyond just reality-checking, this process has unexpected therapeutic benefits. Having to articulate my concerns to an AI forces me to be more precise about what specifically is bothering meThe act of clearly articulating concerns to an external observer (even an AI) engages the prefrontal cortex's analytical functions, potentially reducing the emotional intensity and helping distinguish between feeling-based and evidence-based concerns.. The requirement to provide evidence makes me step back from pure emotion and examine the facts.

The Bottom Line

AI can be a valuable reality-checking tool for schizoaffective disorder, but only when used properly. The key is providing objective evidence rather than subjective interpretations, being explicit about needing reality-checking rather than validation, and using AI as one tool among many rather than your sole source of truth.

Most importantly: AI is not a replacement for professional treatment, medication, or real human support. It's a supplementary tool that can help in the moment-to-moment navigation of distinguishing symptoms from reality.

A Final Note on Acceptance

If you're using AI this way, be prepared for the AI to tell you that your concerns aren't warranted. That's actually when it's most valuable - when it helps you recognize that your brain is misinterpreting normal situations as threatsThis acceptance of being "wrong" about a perceived threat is actually a sign of insight and recovery. In acute psychosis, individuals often cannot accept alternative explanations for their concerns, regardless of evidence presented.. The goal isn't to have your worries validated; it's to have reality accurately reflected back to you.

The hardest part of living with schizoaffective disorder isn't the symptoms themselves - it's learning to trust external reality checks over internal alarm systems that have been compromised by illness. AI, used thoughtfully, can be one tool in rebuilding that trust while you work toward recovery.

This essay describes my personal experience and strategies that have worked for me. It is not medical advice. Always work with qualified mental health professionals for proper diagnosis and treatment of schizoaffective disorder or any mental health condition.