MedBot is a Telegram-based mental health support bot I developed with my teammates Shoaib and Hirtik during our second year of college. This AI-powered therapy assistant is designed to provide stress management techniques, motivational quotes, and conversation therapy to users through the familiar Telegram interface. Our project won second place out of 32 teams in our university's annual hackathon, demonstrating both its technical merit and practical application.

The Problem And Solution

Many people struggle with mental health issues but face barriers to accessing professional help. (Especially college students like us... 🤔)

Traditional therapy can be expensive, time-consuming, and sometimes carries a stigma that prevents people from seeking help. Additionally, many people prefer to process their thoughts privately before speaking with others.

We built MedBot to address these challenges. This bot provides a judgment-free space where users can express their feelings, receive guided stress management techniques, and practice mindfulness exercises—all through their Telegram account which many already use daily.

Key Features

• 24/7 Support: Available anytime users need to talk, providing immediate responses when anxiety or stress strikes.
• Personalized Sessions: Uses conversation history to tailor therapy approaches to individual users' needs and preferences.
• Guided Exercises: Offers breathing exercises, meditation sessions, and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques directly in the chat.

Tech Stack

Our project utilized several modern technologies to create a responsive and intelligent therapy experience:

• Python: Core language for bot development and natural language processing.
• Telegram Bot API: Powers the user interaction through Telegram's messaging platform.
• NLP Models: Implemented sentiment analysis to detect user emotional states.
• MongoDB: Stores conversation patterns and user preferences while maintaining privacy.

How It Works

1. Initial Assessment: The bot begins with questions to understand the user's current mental state and needs.
2. Conversation Therapy: Engages in supportive dialogue, asking open-ended questions and offering reflective responses.
3. Stress Management: Provides techniques like guided breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or visualization exercises when stress is detected.
4. Progress Tracking: Monitors emotional patterns over time, helping users recognize triggers and improvements.

What Did I Learn?

Building MedBot presented unique challenges in creating empathetic AI responses and handling sensitive mental health topics responsibly. I learned about and the importance of when developing a therapeutic tool. Our team also gained valuable experience in and implementing for sensitive personal information.