Thing Talk

A safe, AI-powered space for mental health support and self-expression.

Live Demo

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What is Thing Talk?

Thing Talk is an open-source platform designed to provide a secure, anonymous environment for individuals to access mental health support through a modern AI chat assistant. It focuses on privacy, empathy, and user safety, offering a supportive space to talk about your feelings and get helpful resources.

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Key Features

• AI Mental Health Chat

  • Empathetic, context-aware AI assistant for supportive conversations.
  • Web search integration for up-to-date resources and helplines.
  • Mood and session-based personalization via a stepper onboarding flow.
  • Safety protocols for crisis and escalation.
  • User feedback and rating system after each session.

• Customization & Privacy

  • Multiple themes and backgrounds.
  • Anonymous registration with randomly generated usernames.
  • No email or personal info required.
  • Full account and data control (delete, export, etc).

• Gamification & Progress (Future-Ready)

  • Mood tracking and history.
  • Goals, reminders, streaks, and badges (planned).
  • Session summaries and actionable tips (planned).

• Resource & Activity Engine (Planned)

  • Smart recommendations for articles, videos, and coping activities.
  • FAQ/knowledge base integration.

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Architecture

• Frontend: Next.js (React), TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Framer Motion
• Backend: tRPC, Prisma ORM, PostgreSQL
• AI: OpenAI GPT-3.5-turbo, with custom system prompt and web search (Tavily)
• Authentication: Custom JWT-based, anonymous, privacy-first (random username, password, hCaptcha)
• Other: Jotai (state), React Icons, Markdown support

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Database Schema Highlights

• User, ChatSession, Message, ChatFeedback (AI chat, feedback)
• MoodLog, CopingActivity, UserActivityLog (mood & activity tracking)
• Resource, UserResourceInteraction (resource engine)
• Goal, Reminder, Badge, UserBadge, Streak (gamification)
• EscalationEvent, MessageAnalysis, SessionSummary, ReviewLog (safety, admin, analytics)

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Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js (LTS)
• Yarn or npm
• PostgreSQL
• Git

Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone <repo_link>
   cd thingtalk

2. Install dependencies:

   yarn install

3. Configure environment:

   • Copy .env.example to .env and fill in your database and API keys.

4. Run database migrations:

   yarn run dev:migrate:postgres

5. Start the app:

   yarn run dev

Visit http://localhost:3000 to get started.

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Usage Overview

• Start a Chat Session:
  Use the stepper to select your mood and session duration, then chat with the AI assistant.
• Authentication:
  Register anonymously with a randomly generated username and password. No email required. hCaptcha is used to prevent abuse.
• Customization:
  Change your theme and background in Settings.
• Feedback:
  Rate your chat experience and leave comments to help improve the service.

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Safety & Privacy

• AI never gives medical advice or diagnoses.
• Crisis detection and escalation protocols are in place.
• Anonymous by default; no real names required.
• Full data control: delete your account and data at any time.

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Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please fork, branch, and submit pull requests. See the code for type-safety and testing guidelines.

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License

AGPL-3.0

This project is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0. See the LICENSE file for details.

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Want to suggest a new feature or report a bug? Open an issue or join the discussion!