I'm with thing on this one.
As I see it new pilots are trained to be frightened of clouds and perhaps this makes many nervous even after getting IMC/IR ratings. It certainly took me some time to get over it. Now I am perfectly happy to fly a 6 hour leg in real IMC by hand. My aircraft only has a temperamental wing leveler.
IMHO if those who depend on autopilots turned them off and hand flew for a few tens of hours they would be just as relaxed.