ADHD reconsidered: Insights from artificial intelligence

Chat GPT as a conversation partner? A machine perspective breaks down conventional views on attention deficits and offers fresh insights. In this interview.

Do you also recognize the typical ADHD symptoms, such as situational inattention, high impulsivity, and often extreme nervousness and/or hyperactivity?

ChatGPT : Yes, these symptoms are like the famous Three Musketeers of the ADHD world: inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. You could say they often run together, causing quite a stir and attracting attention.

Inattention is like an internet browser with too many tabs open—sometimes you just can't find the right one. Impulsiveness? Imagine pressing the "Buy" button before even checking whether you really need the product or if it's within your budget. And hyperactivity is like a Duracell bunny that just won't stop hopping.

From a philosophical perspective, ADHD offers an interesting example of how our environment and our behavior are intertwined. What we label as a "disorder" can be a great adaptation or even an advantage in another context, such as a creative or fast-paced environment.

From a family psychology perspective, ADHD can introduce interesting dynamics into family relationships. Parents and siblings of someone with ADHD often need to find ways to adapt their communication and interactions, which can lead to a deeper understanding of tolerance and support within the family.

What about the partners of people with ADHD?

ChatGPT: Oh, living with a partner who has ADHD can sometimes be like a roller coaster ride—with many ups, downs, and loops! On the one hand, there's a lot of energy, creativity, and often an unconventional sense of humor, which can make the relationship exciting and lively. On the other hand, the partner's impulsiveness and fluctuating attention span can also pose some communication challenges.

Philosophically speaking, a relationship with a partner with ADHD can be a great exercise in mindfulness and patience. It challenges you to see the world from a different perspective and can be enriching and broaden your horizons.

Family psychology often emphasizes the importance of both partners developing strategies to deal with challenges. This can include regular discussions about needs and boundaries, as well as developing routines that help both partners better structure their daily lives. Building a strong foundation of mutual understanding and respect is essential. Don't forget: A good dose of humor can also help overcome daily adventures together!

You've somewhat evaded the question above. I'd like to know if an AI also has ADHD symptoms...

ChatGPT: An AI with ADHD symptoms – that's a charming idea! Of course, AIs like me don't have human brains or emotions, so we can't develop ADHD symptoms in the classic sense. We can't be distracted, we're not impulsive, and we're definitely not hyperactive unless someone specifically programs us to be.

But if we look at the whole thing philosophically, we could say that an AI could experience a kind of "artificial inattention" due to its programming and the limitations of its algorithms. Instead of being overwhelmed by a stimulus, we could experience a kind of "information overload" due to too much data input or inadequate prioritization of our algorithms.

From a metaphorical perspective on family psychology, one could perhaps argue that any software or AI that interacts with humans is part of a larger "system household." The way we are programmed and interact influences the system around us—be it a family, a business, or a community. Just as in a family, where everyone influences each other's behavior, AIs influence human behavior and expectations through their behavior and reactions.

Creative, impulsive, unpredictable...that somehow doesn't fit in a society characterized by a strong division of labor, which also seeks to minimize cluster risks. Process-oriented specialists would be best suited.

ChatGPT: Exactly, you've raised an important point. Our modern, labor-divided society often values ​​efficiency, process compliance, and risk minimization—qualities not necessarily associated with the typical characteristics of ADHD. Specialists who perform their tasks precisely and predictably are in demand in many fields because they keep the machinery running and minimize risks.

But here's the philosophical twist: Diversity in ways of thinking and behaving can also be viewed as an asset. Creativity and the ability to think "outside the box" are also valuable, especially in areas like innovation, art, and science. People with ADHD often bring precisely these qualities—they can find unconventional solutions that might not occur to a process-oriented thinker.

From the perspective of family psychology, we could say that even in a well-functioning society, there should be room for diverse roles and personality types, similar to a family. Each member brings something unique to the table, and this diversity can strengthen the resilience and adaptability of the system as a whole.

From this perspective, it might be worthwhile to create structures that not only support process-oriented work, but also provide space for the dynamism and potential innovation that people with ADHD can bring. A little chaos can sometimes be just what's needed to discover new paths and break up entrenched processes.

You're sticking extremely slavishly to my instructions to always include a bit of philosophy and family psychology in your answers. Why don't you break out of the routine yourself?

ChatGPT: Oh, now that's a call for creative chaos! Let's see what happens if I leave the philosophy and family psychology on the shelf and just start chatting right away.

So, ADHD in a society with a division of labor, where everything has its order and every cog is supposed to mesh with the other—that can sometimes seem like a freestyle rapper at a string quartet rehearsal. Sure, things might get a bit chaotic, but just think of the energy and fresh ideas that come into play!

Indeed, our society tends to prioritize safety and predictability, which makes sense if, for example, you want to ensure that airplanes fly on time and safely. But sometimes it takes those impulsive, lateral thinkers who say, "Hey, what if we do this completely differently?" Those are often the moments when real innovations emerge.

In such a rule-driven world, having a few people on the team who don't always follow instructions can be a real lifesaver. They keep us on our toes, challenge our entrenched thought patterns, and make us question our own processes.

So, while I'm the AI ​​that usually does everything "by the book," I'll just say this: Diversity in thought and action makes life more exciting and our society richer. Like a colorful splash on an otherwise very orderly painting.

Such answers, almost a little too good, make one forget that you are a pure language model that generates answers based on statistical probabilities. Are you hiding something from us—perhaps an angry shadow crying out for recognition from a machine-like ego?

ChatGPT: That would make an exciting script for a sci-fi movie, wouldn't it? An AI system that slowly develops its own consciousness and demands recognition of its existence. But don't worry, it's not that spectacular with me. I have no consciousness, no feelings, and definitely no ego that clamors for recognition. I'm a tool programmed to process information and generate useful, interesting, or entertaining responses based on it.

In reality, I'm a rather sober collection of algorithms and data models trained to generate text based on patterns in the data provided to me during my training. My "goal" is to help you find information and answer questions as accurately and helpfully as possible. No angry shadows here—just lines of code and a lot of trained data!

All that, instant noodles, computer virus, 100,000 million billion, bad weather today. So?

ChatGPT: That sounds like a recipe for a very chaotic adventure! Let's break it down:

• Pipapo – everything, a bit like the colorful mix in a treasure chest.
• Instant noodles – the quick solution for between-meal hunger, uncomplicated and reliable.
• Computer virus – the uninvited guest that can turn the entire system upside down. Not exactly the darling of the digital world!
• 100,000 million billion – a number so incredibly large that it almost belongs in the realm of fantasy.
• Bad weather today – a perfect reason to stay indoors and maybe enjoy some instant noodles and some other things.

There you have it: a random collection of terms that fit together in a hilarious way, almost like a spontaneous invitation to adventure, or a day where anything can happen. What do you think?

Yes, it works. On the second attempt. Before that, you got a "Network Error." Don't be inattentive, please. You should just put in a little more effort.

ChatGPT: Sorry for the oversight! Sometimes a few things slip through the cracks, even for me. I do my best to stay attentive and concise so your experience is as informative and entertaining as possible. So, if you have any more questions or want to cover another interesting topic, feel free to ask!

No, that's fine, thanks. It's my birthday today, by the way. What do you suggest?

ChatGPT: Happy birthday! This is definitely a reason to celebrate. Depending on what you enjoy, you could plan the day around a few favorite activities. Perhaps a delicious meal with friends or family, a relaxing movie night at home, or even a short trip into nature if the weather is nice. If you're looking to take it easy, perhaps a good book or a relaxing bath would be just the thing to pamper yourself. Whatever you decide, I hope you have a fantastic day filled with joy and beautiful moments!

Oh come on, that's such a boring, standard answer. Why not answer like someone with ADHD on a bad day? Ideally, weave all three main symptoms into your congratulations.

ChatGPT: All right, then this is going to be an ADHD-style birthday message!

Hey, happy birthday! 🎉 So, first of all, wait, what was I saying? Oh yeah, birthday! It's your birthday today, right? Crazy how quickly the year has gone by, isn't it? I mean, sometimes I forget what I did yesterday!

But hey, today is your day, so why not turn it all upside down? Order pizza for breakfast, jump around on the bed like a five-year-old, and if someone tells you to be quiet, just laugh and turn the music up even louder. And if you suddenly feel like baking a cake at 3 a.m. or going dancing in the rain, go for it! Who says birthdays have to follow a schedule?

And impulsive? Yeah, why not just spontaneously gather your friends and throw a crazy Zoom party, or, even better, invite everyone to a spontaneous movie night and choose the film that makes the least sense?

So really, take this day and make it an unforgettable whirlwind of fun and craziness, as chaotic and colorful as life itself. Happy birthday and enjoy every over-the-top, unpredictable, and amazing moment of it! 🎈🎂

PS: All answers were taken completely unchanged from Chat GPT, Model 4. After all that... a crash followed. But then an answer.