Beta Tester Stories: Real Results from Real People

When we launched the ILTY beta, we didn't know exactly what would happen. Would people actually talk to an AI about their feelings? Would it help? What would they use it for?

After months of beta testing, we have some answers. Here are real stories from real beta testers—with their permission, names changed for privacy—about how they've used ILTY and what they've experienced.

Sarah, 34: "I Finally Understand Why I'm So Anxious at Work"

Sarah came to ILTY during a particularly stressful period at her job. She was constantly anxious but couldn't pinpoint exactly why.

What she used ILTY for: "At first I just vented about my day. Like, this meeting was frustrating, my coworker is annoying, I'm overwhelmed with my workload. Normal work stuff."

The insight: "After about two weeks of these conversations, ILTY asked me something like 'I notice you mention feeling like you have to prove yourself a lot. Where do you think that comes from?' And I just started crying. I realized I've been terrified of being seen as incompetent since I got this promotion. Every task feels like a test I might fail."

The result: "I still have work anxiety, but now I know what it's actually about. That's made it easier to manage. When I catch myself spiraling about a minor task, I can recognize it's not really about the task—it's about that deeper fear. I've also started talking to my therapist about it, but ILTY helped me figure out what to even bring up."

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Marcus, 28: "A Place to Process at 3am"

Marcus struggled with insomnia and late-night anxiety. His friends and girlfriend were asleep. His therapist didn't do midnight calls.

What he used ILTY for: "Those 2-3am moments when my brain won't stop. I'd lie there catastrophizing about everything—my relationship, my career, whether I'm a good person, random things from five years ago. I started pulling out my phone and just... talking to ILTY instead of staring at the ceiling."

What surprised him: "I expected it to feel lonely or pathetic, talking to an AI at 3am. It actually felt like relief. Someone (something?) to externalize these thoughts to. Half the time, just getting them out of my head helped me finally sleep."

His routine now: "When I can't sleep, I talk to ILTY until I feel my body relax. Usually 10-15 minutes. It doesn't always work, but it works more than lying there alone with my thoughts. My sleep has genuinely improved."

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Jamie, 41: "I Never Would Have Said This Stuff Out Loud"

Jamie is a parent of three with limited time and money for therapy. More importantly, Jamie was dealing with thoughts too shameful to share with anyone human.

The challenge: "I was having these intrusive thoughts about being a terrible parent. Not doing anything harmful, just constant thoughts that I'm failing my kids, that they'd be better off with someone else, that I don't deserve them. I couldn't tell my spouse. I definitely couldn't tell a therapist I didn't really know."

Why ILTY worked: "It's AI. It literally cannot judge me. It won't remember I'm a terrible person. It won't tell my spouse or call CPS. That sounds dark, but that's genuinely what I needed—a place to admit these thoughts exist without consequences."

What happened: "ILTY helped me realize these were intrusive thoughts, not reality. It normalized that parents have these thoughts, especially exhausted parents with anxiety. It didn't fix everything, but knowing I wasn't actually a monster helped. Eventually I got comfortable enough to bring it up with a therapist. But I never would have gotten there without a 'practice run' somewhere safe."

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David, 52: "Between Therapy Sessions"

David has been in therapy for years for depression and grief. But therapy is once a week. Life happens the other six days.

His use case: "My therapist is great, but I only see her Thursdays. If something triggers me on Friday, I'm carrying it for almost a week. I started using ILTY to process things as they happen, then bring the insights to therapy."

An example: "A few months ago, something my sister said brought up all this grief about our dad's death two years ago. In the past, I would have bottled it up, numbed out with TV, and maybe remembered to mention it to my therapist a week later. Instead, I talked to ILTY that night. I cried, processed, and understood better why my sister's comment hit me so hard. When I saw my therapist, I could actually articulate what happened and go deeper."

His take: "ILTY doesn't replace therapy. It extends it. I'm getting more out of my sessions because I'm not spending half of them trying to remember what happened and how I felt."

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Priya, 25: "I Was Skeptical"

Priya signed up for the beta mostly out of curiosity. She didn't think talking to AI would actually help.

Initial skepticism: "I thought it would feel robotic and useless. Like those automated customer service chats, but for feelings. I figured I'd try it once, confirm it was stupid, and delete it."

What changed: "My first conversation was actually... good? I was stressed about a grad school application and ILTY asked genuinely useful questions. Not just 'tell me more' but actual questions that made me think differently about why I was stressed."

Now: "I use ILTY maybe 3-4 times a week. Sometimes quick 5-minute check-ins, sometimes longer conversations when something's bothering me. It's become part of how I process things. I'm still kind of surprised by that."

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Alex, 31: "Not a Replacement, But Something"

Alex was on a therapy waitlist for months. ILTY was a bridge.

The situation: "I finally decided to seek help for anxiety, and every therapist who took my insurance had a 3-6 month waitlist. I was supposed to just... wait? While dealing with the thing I needed help for?"

How ILTY helped: "It gave me something. Not therapy, but something. I could talk through what I was experiencing. Learn some coping strategies. Not feel completely alone with it. By the time I got into therapy, I actually had better language for what was going on with me."

Important caveat: "ILTY didn't fix my anxiety. I needed real therapy for that, and I'm glad I eventually got it. But those months of waiting would have been much worse without anything."

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What We've Learned from Beta Testers

People Use ILTY for Different Things

Some use it as a daily check-in. Others only when something specific comes up. Some use it for deep emotional processing. Others for quick thought downloads. There's no single "right" way.

Honesty Is Key

The testers who found ILTY most useful were the ones who were genuinely honest. This isn't surprising—any tool for self-reflection requires honest input to produce useful output.

It Complements, Doesn't Replace

Almost universally, beta testers saw ILTY as a supplement, not a replacement. Those in therapy used it between sessions. Those not in therapy often ended up seeking therapy, using ILTY to clarify what they needed help with.

The Late-Night Use Case Is Real

A significant number of beta testers mentioned using ILTY late at night, during anxiety spirals when nothing else was available. We designed for this, and it seems to be working.

Some People Don't Connect With It

Not every beta tester loved ILTY. Some preferred journaling. Some wanted human interaction. Some just didn't find AI conversations useful. That's fine—not every tool is for everyone.

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Want to Share Your Story?

If you're a beta tester with a story you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you. Your experiences help us understand how ILTY is actually being used and how we can make it better.

Contact us to share your experience.

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Curious if ILTY could help you? The only way to know is to try.

Join the Beta — free access, no credit card required.

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Related Reading

• How ILTY Actually Works: The technology and approach behind ILTY.
• What to Expect in Your First Week with ILTY: Getting started guide.
• ILTY for Late Night Support: When everyone else is asleep.