Everywhere I look these days there is something promoting the value of saving time and energy by getting AI to do your work for you. Sounds promising, for sure, but what would happen if we ALL just relied on AI to generate an endless stream of AI (mis)information?
I asked a well known AI platform to write me a very short blog post that explains how mindfulness can help someone with a migraine. This is what I got:
“Using Mindfulness to Ease Migraines
Migraines can feel overwhelming, but mindfulness offers a simple way to find relief. Start by finding a quiet spot and focusing on your breath—slow, steady inhales and exhales. When pain or tension creeps in, acknowledge it without judgment, then gently shift your attention back to your breathing. Studies suggest this practice can reduce stress, a common migraine trigger. Even five minutes a day can make a difference. Try it next time a migraine looms—it’s a small step toward calm amidst the storm.”
Not only does it make perfect sense, it took mere seconds to create, and includes good practice blogging techniques such as ending with a call to action – “try it”.
When I asked the same platform to assist me with a picture to add to my post it gave me this:
Again – nothing wrong in principle, although her hands and feet are suffering from the usual AI ikky-mess.
Out of interest, I asked a second AI platform the same question; author me a blog post about mindfulness for migraines. Just as quickly, I got a slightly longer reply, complete with sub-headings (which we’re all supposed to do as bloggers to improve readability, even though it remains something I am yet to manage – oops!):
“How Mindfulness Can Help with Migraines
Migraines can be debilitating, affecting daily life and productivity. While medication is a common treatment, mindfulness offers a complementary approach that can help manage and even reduce migraine symptoms.
Understanding Mindfulness
Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment. This practice can help individuals become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations, which is particularly beneficial for those experiencing chronic pain like migraines.
Benefits of Mindfulness for Migraines
- Stress Reduction: Stress is a well-known trigger for migraines. Mindfulness helps reduce stress by promoting relaxation and emotional regulation.
- Pain Management: Mindfulness can alter the perception of pain, making it more manageable. By focusing on the present moment, individuals can reduce the emotional response to pain.
- Improved Emotional Well-being: Regular mindfulness practice can help control anxiety and depression, which are often associated with chronic migraines.
Simple Mindfulness Techniques
- Breathing Exercises: Focus on your breath, taking slow, deep breaths to calm the mind and body.
- Body Scan: Pay attention to different parts of your body, noting any tension or discomfort without judgment.
- Meditation: Spend a few minutes each day in quiet meditation, observing your thoughts and feelings without trying to change them.
Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine can be a powerful tool in managing migraines, offering a natural and holistic approach to pain relief.”
Again – sounds right to me – and exactly why I believe mindfulness HAS really helped me manage my migraine-pain.
When I asked this second platform to provide me an illustration to go with the post, I got a very surreal, communal mindfulness moment with absolutely no one looking like they might have a migraine (but I guess who cares if you have ducks… although the guy hustling onto the back of my yoga mat would probably kill my lucky-ducky-vibe!):
Inspired by the unexpected niceness of having ducks with you when you meditate, I went off on a tangent and asked the AI generators to show me a picture of meditating with ducks – one kept us humans around for company, but the other ditched us all together!
Given how quickly and seemingly efficient AI is, I guess it’s move over Linda and let the machine do the writing?
I don’t think so.
Not yet, and possibly not ever.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with what gets served up by AI – I’m sure if I was to create a checklist of boxes to check, the list would get ticked. But…
What does seem to be lacking is the same thing that was missing a year or two ago when I decided to start this blog after reading all the migraine website pages generated by medical/pharmaceutical/service providers. The information was there, even the good will motivation, but what was always lacking was a person to attach the message to. I’m a sucker for good news stories that are more than just a promo-shout-out… I want the warts and all reality of what’s involved in a healing journey. So much of what is out there is either a tad doom and gloom (because the writers are still feeling incredibly unwell) OR it’s super pumped-up whizz-bag, I’m all healed so buy our product (because they are lucky enough to be all healed – yay them!)
I live in a muddier (red-green-orange) world where pain is still part of my daily existence, although I am getting better all the time. I feel like when I read blogposts by real people like me there’s light and shade, hope and a touch of genuine, relatable, despair. I wish it was otherwise for all of us, but at the same time, I’m grateful for all those writers out there who are both brave enough and vulnerable enough to share their reality of life lived with chronic pain.
It’s real in a way that AI isn’t… I mean, really… if your migraine is ever as bad as mine, then you’re not sitting in full sunlight on a cushion meditating in the yard, you’re most likely in a bedroom with the blinds closed, looking more like a vampire meditating…
Anyway – AI used as a tool will probably help a lot of people – even as a prompt to get you started. But I just can’t shake the feeling that real people are probably going to enjoy real content more than the slightly soulless material that AI creates…
But that’s just my opinion.
(And I still like the ducks!)
Take care taking care, Linda x
The Mindful Migraine 
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