DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INTELLIGENT CHATBOT CONSULTANT SYSTEM

ABSTRACT

The development of a chatbot consultant for depressed patients is an exciting area of research that can help improve access to mental health services. This work outlines the design and implementation of an intelligent chatbot consultant for depressed patients. Chatbots are automated computer programs that are able to hold, e.g., a script-based conversation with a human being. Chatbots could contribute to the
extension of health care services. The chatbot is based on natural language processing (NLP). NLP is used to analyze the conversation and extract context and sentiment from it. Effective studies were carried out and relevant psychotheraphist and patients were interviewed. The findings revealed that patients avoid treatment because of lack of awareness and limited knowledge about depression. The aim of this project is to is to bridge the gap between depressed patients and therapists. This project was motivated by the increasing level of suicide been committed or attempted in enugu, to which is mostly linked to depressed patients. The system adopted the design thinking methodology (DT) while the programming language used for the design is Python, Tkinter, NLTK and Sqlite database. Furthermore, the chatbot is designed to be
a secure and private platform, protecting the patient’s data and ensuring it remains confidential. Finally, by providing an accessible and effective service for depressed patients, the chatbot has the potential to reduce stigma and provide a more inclusive service for people seeking mental health support. Keywords; Mental health, Chatbot, Depression, Therapy, Patient, Artificial intelligence.