Podcast Summary: "Using ChatGPT & AI to Support Your ADHD Brain"

Podcast: Navigating Adult ADHD
Host: Xena Jones
Episode: #135
Date: October 13, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Xena Jones delves into how artificial intelligence (AI), particularly ChatGPT, can become a powerful tool for adults with ADHD. Xena shares her own experiences, outlines the science behind executive dysfunction, and offers practical ways to leverage AI for executive function support, cognitive overload reduction, and daily adulting tasks. She also discusses other helpful AI tools, outlines best practices, and warns against over-reliance, all in her engaging, no-nonsense style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Start-of-Episode Story: The ADHD Brain in Action

• [00:03-06:00]
  • Xena humorously recounts almost breaking into the wrong car after passing her eye test, setting the relatable ADHD tone.
  • Quote:

    "Friends. Omg. I'd had a coffee. I took my ADHD meds, passed the eye test, and still I tried to break into the wrong car." - Xena [05:23]

  • Sets up the comfort with ADHD "brain not braining that well" and boosts listener connection.

2. The Overwhelm of Starting Big Tasks

• [06:01-08:20]
  • Describes sitting down to write a book and feeling paralyzed by overwhelm.
  • Solution: She opens ChatGPT and asks where to start.
  • Quote:

    "Just like that, I had a simple, clear first step… It knew that I was overwhelmed. Right? I didn't even have to tell it, it just knew." - Xena [07:20]

3. Why AI Is Helpful for ADHD Brains

• [08:21-16:40]
  • Executive Function Challenges:
    • Six executive functions (inhibition, emotional regulation, self-awareness, working memory, self-motivation, planning & problem solving).
    • ADHD makes sequencing, planning, and prioritizing hard.
    • AI acts like an “executive functioning assistant” or “GPS in your brain.”
  • Cognitive Overload:
    • ADHD brains quickly reach ‘overflow’—AI can offload tasks.
    • AI breaks down tasks, prioritizes, and fights time blindness.
    • Email reply tip: Feed context and desired tone, get a quick draft matching her voice.
    • Emotional regulation: AI can guide calming activities like breathing or EFT tapping.
  • ADHDers benefit from specific prompts and by letting AI "get to know you".

4. Real Life Ways AI (especially ChatGPT) Helps ADHDers

• [16:41-27:10]
  • Common Use Cases:
    • Drafting and replying to emails.
    • Spell-checking and document simplification.
    • Explaining legal documents in plain language.
    • Creating teaching metaphors (e.g., cognitive overload as a bathtub).
    • Practicing interviews or small talk.
    • Brainstorming business names.
    • Taking meeting notes.
    • Breaking projects (e.g., writing a book) into actionable steps.
    • Generating meal ideas based on available ingredients.
  • Quote:

    "I think of ChatGPT as my executive functioning assistant. Okay? It doesn't replace me in the work that I do, but it does help to assist me and take some of the more mundane things off my plate." - Xena [17:45]

5. ADHD-Friendly Prompt Examples for ChatGPT

• [27:11-31:30]
  • Prompts to help with prioritizing, breaking down tasks, making meal plans, saying "no" kindly, and generating affordable fun ideas.
  • Key strategy: “The more you give it, the better its answers are going to be.”
  • Encouragement: “If you’re new, you can’t do it wrong. Play with it, experiment.”

6. Important Considerations & Boundaries When Using AI

• [31:31-38:40]
  • Accuracy & Misinformation:
    • AI can hallucinate—always verify info, especially research claims.
    • Example: Xena’s friend Jay Carter was falsely listed by ChatGPT as playing for the All Blacks.
    • Check sources where possible.
  • Over-Relience & Brain “Atrophy”:
    • Cites MIT study: overuse of AI can weaken your own skills ("if you don’t use it, you lose it").
    • Keep brain engaged—use AI as a supplement, not a replacement.
  • Boundaries:
    • AI rabbit holes can eat up time without producing real results.
    • Use with intention; avoid busywork.
  • Privacy:
    • Don’t share sensitive data with AI tools.
  • Environmental Impact:
    • AI consumes large amounts of power and water; use with awareness.
    • Reflects on having reduced casual usage since learning more about this.

7. Other ADHD-Friendly AI Tools

• [38:41-47:11]
  • Goblin Tools:
    • Task breakdown, prioritization, time estimates.
    • Fun, playful interface made for neurodivergent brains.
    • Quote:

      "It’s simple, playful, and it does the executive function heavy lifting for you." - Xena [40:50]

  • Otter AI & Fathom:
    • Transcription & summarization of audio (meetings, lectures).
    • No need to scramble for notes.
  • Grammarly:
    • Helpful for spelling, grammar, and tone—great for those with dyslexia.
  • Whisper Flow:
    • Voice-first AI app; converts speech into text, emails, lists.
    • Captures fleeting thoughts, adapts to user style.
    • Quote:

      "It like captures your thoughts before they fly away. Yeah, I’m loving it." - Xena [45:50]

  • Consensus:
    • AI-powered search focused on scientific papers.
    • Summarizes and links research for evidence-based answers.
    • Useful for ADHD-related queries and getting plain-language science.

8. Takeaways & Practical Encouragement

• [47:12-end]
  • AI can feel like "magic" when breaking big tasks, planning, or brainstorming.
  • Use as a support, not a crutch.
  • Action step: “Open ChatGPT… try one of the prompts… Start small, see how it feels, and just play with it, okay? Progress beats perfection every single time.”
  • Quote:

    “Word vomit. I love me a word vomit. Just word vomit, right? The learning is in the doing when it comes to using AI.” - Xena [49:15]

Memorable Quotes

• “AI is not here to replace our sparkly brains, but it's here to support them.” - Xena [07:45]
• “I think of ChatGPT as my executive functioning assistant.” - Xena [17:45]
• “If you’re new, you can’t do it wrong. Play with it, my friend, experiment with it. The learning is in the doing and the more it gets to know you, the better it’s going to be.” - Xena [29:30]
• "AI does actually have a noticeable carbon footprint...so just be intentional and aware of our usage." - Xena [37:35]
• “It’s simple, playful, and it does the executive function heavy lifting for you.” [on Goblin Tools] - Xena [40:50]
• "It like captures your thoughts before they fly away. Yeah, I’m loving it." [on Whisper Flow] - Xena [45:50]
• “Progress beats perfection every single time.” - Xena [49:00]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------|-------------| | ADHD car mix-up story | 00:03-06:00 | | Using ChatGPT to beat overwhelm | 06:01-08:20 | | Executive function, task breakdown | 08:21-16:40 | | Practical ways AI helps ADHDers | 16:41-27:10 | | Example ADHD-friendly ChatGPT prompts | 27:11-31:30 | | Caveats: accuracy, atrophy, boundaries, privacy | 31:31-38:40 | | Other helpful AI tools | 38:41-47:11 | | Takeaways, encouragement, challenge for listeners | 47:12-end |

Summary & Flow

Xena Jones blends personal anecdotes, practical advice, humor, and science. She normalizes ADHD challenges, explains executive function in plain language, and excites listeners about AI’s supportive potential. She gives concrete prompts and use-cases, shares ADHD-focused tools beyond ChatGPT, and ends with gentle warnings and ethical reminders. Throughout, she maintains an empowering, ethical, and joyful tone, encouraging experimentation and progress over perfection.

For free resources, summarized prompts, and links to AI tools, Xena directs listeners to navigatingadultadhd.com/cheat-sheet.

"Progress beats perfection every single time."