I have been a regular autopilot user in both VMC and IMC conditions, the key is to continue to pay attention to what's going on. You are still the pilot not a passenger being flown by a piece of kit
I've flown both altitude hold and none and my current aircraft has essentially the wing leveller.
My wing leveller can also follow the heading bug and do VOR tracking and approach interception unfortunately it's got the dreaded wing rock at present so it's not useable in IMC and there's no doubt that keeping up without it is bl**dy hard work in IMC
