Reviewed byBaurzhan Kassymov, MDAddiction physician · updated 11.11.2026
Key facts
- Who provides care
- an addiction physician and inpatient nursing staff, with a psychiatrist and an internist involved when needed
- Where
- the Akalam inpatient unit in Almaty, or outpatient care with daily visits for mild withdrawal
- Duration
- usually 3–7 days for alcohol, up to 10–14 days for drugs or sedative medications
- Anonymity
- anonymous, with no registration on the registry; inpatient stays under a code
- When it is urgent
- seizures, hallucinations, confusion, chest pain, or a high fever: call 103 or 112
- Outcome
- safe discontinuation of use, restored sleep and well-being, and readiness for further treatment
What to know
In Almaty, the word “detox” is heard more often in ads for fitness clubs and smoothie bars on Dostyk Avenue than in an addiction physician’s office. But medical detox is something else entirely. It is a managed, safe way out of physical dependence on alcohol, psychoactive substances, sleeping pills, or sedatives that a person has been taking for years without supervision. The doctor’s task is to help the body readjust so that withdrawal does not lead to seizures, psychosis, or relapse.
What sets detox apart from a one-off IV drip is that it is a planned course. The doctor assesses the risks in advance, decides where withdrawal is safer, at home or in an inpatient unit, draws up a schedule of procedures for several days, and monitors sleep, blood pressure, and lab results. At the end, the doctor always discusses the next stage: without continued treatment, detox only briefly returns a person to the point where it all began.
When You Need Medical Detox
- when you try to stop using, you develop tremors, sweating, anxiety, and insomnia
- you have been taking sleeping pills or sedatives for years and cannot fall asleep without them
- you are dependent on several substances or combine alcohol with medications
- you have had seizures, hallucinations, or confusion during withdrawal in the past
- you have heart disease, liver disease, or diabetes, which makes stopping on your own dangerous
- you are about to start alcohol “coding” (a treatment widely used in Kazakhstan and CIS countries), rehab, or another treatment that requires sobriety
- you want to stop but are afraid of feeling severely unwell in the first days
If life is at risk — loss of consciousness, seizures, hallucinations, overdose, suicidal thoughts — call 103 or 112. Helpline for children and young people: 150.
Why You Can’t Just Quit Cold Turkey
With long-term use, the brain adapts to the constant presence of the substance: some systems are suppressed, while others are working in overdrive. Stopping abruptly disrupts this balance. Withdrawal from alcohol and sedative medications, especially benzodiazepines, can cause seizures and delirium, which are life-threatening. That is why these substances are discontinued gradually, under supervision, with substitution and a slow taper according to the doctor’s plan.
With other types of addiction, the danger is more often related to dehydration, heart rhythm disturbances, severe depression, and intense cravings that push a person toward relapse. After a break, tolerance drops, and going back to the previous amount can cause an overdose. Medical detox reduces these risks and also makes it possible to assess the liver, kidneys, and mental state before further treatment.
How a Detox Course Works
During an online consultation before the visit, the doctor finds out what the patient has been taking and for how long, whether there were seizures during previous attempts to stop, and what chronic conditions they have. This is followed by an in-person examination, blood tests, and an ECG. Then a plan is drawn up: in the inpatient unit, round-the-clock monitoring, daily infusions, and control of sleep and blood pressure; as an outpatient, daily visits and phone contact with the doctor. In the final days, the discussion turns to relapse prevention therapy and psychotherapy.
Outpatient detox is not acceptable when there is a risk of seizures or delirium, when stopping benzodiazepines after long-term use, when several substances are combined, in severe heart, liver, or kidney disease, during pregnancy, with suicidal thoughts, or if there is no sober adult at home. In these cases, inpatient care is the only option. If seizures, hallucinations, confusion, or chest pain occur, call 103 or 112 immediately.
How we help
Assessment before detox
Before the course begins, the doctor assesses the patient’s general condition, performs an ECG, and orders blood tests to check liver and kidney function and electrolytes. This helps choose safe medications and identify any risk of complications. Based on the assessment, the doctor decides where detox should take place, how many days it will take, and which procedures will be needed.
IV fluid and vitamin therapy
IV drips with fluids restore the water and electrolyte balance, B vitamins protect the nervous system, and liver-protecting medications support the liver. This is not “blood cleansing” but the correction of imbalances that have built up during the period of use. The volume and composition change from day to day depending on lab results and how the patient feels.
Managed withdrawal
For dependence on alcohol or sedative medications, the doctor may use medications that smoothly replace the substance being stopped and are then gradually tapered, most often benzodiazepines, only as prescribed and under supervision. This prevents seizures and delirium. The regimen is calculated individually and must never be used on your own.
Preparing for the next stage
In the final days of the course, the doctor and psychotherapist discuss with the patient what comes next: relapse prevention therapy, alcohol coding after the required period of sobriety, psychotherapy, or a rehab center. International guidelines, including WHO recommendations, emphasize that detox without continued treatment rarely produces a lasting result.
How treatment works
- 01Call or WhatsAppThe administrator and the doctor on duty clarify the situation and tell you what to do right now.
- 02Examination or consultationThe doctor visits your home, sees you at the clinic or joins by video.
- 03Treatment planWe choose the format — at home, inpatient, psychotherapy or rehab — with a clear price.
- 04Ongoing supportYour doctor and psychotherapist stay in touch: follow-ups, family support and relapse prevention.
Myths and facts
MythDetox means juices, fasting, and herbal teas
FactMedical detox has nothing to do with “cleansing” diets. It is the treatment of withdrawal under a doctor’s supervision, with lab tests, monitoring, and medications that reduce the risk of seizures, psychosis, and other complications.
MythOne IV drip is enough to cleanse the body
FactA single procedure can relieve symptoms, but it does not complete withdrawal. After long-term use, symptoms persist for several days, so detox is a course with monitoring of progress, not a one-time visit.
MythAddiction goes away after detox
FactDetox eliminates the physical part of withdrawal, but the cravings and habits remain. Without further treatment, many people return to use within the first few weeks. That is why detox is the beginning of a program, not its end.
Prices: Medical detox
| Medical detox | 40 000 ₸ |
| Addiction doctor home visit: examination and advice | 20 000 ₸ |
| Repeat IV drip the next day | 20 000 ₸ |
| 24 hours in the inpatient unit | 45 000 ₸ |
| Phone consultation | free |
Prices are approximate: the doctor confirms the exact cost after the examination, before treatment starts.
Confidential
We do not register patients with state dispensaries or share information with employers. You do not have to give your surname; doctors arrive in unmarked cars. Medical confidentiality is protected by the Code of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System”.
Clinic addresses
FAQ
How is detox different from an IV drip for a drinking binge?
An IV drip is a one-off procedure to relieve symptoms. Detox is a course lasting several days that includes an assessment, monitoring of progress, managed withdrawal, and a plan for further treatment. It is needed for marked physical dependence, a risk of complications, or as preparation for coding and rehab.
How long does detox last?
For alcohol dependence, it usually takes three to seven days. For dependence on drugs or long-term use of sleeping pills and sedatives, it can take 10–14 days or longer, because withdrawal is carried out gradually. The doctor will give you an exact timeframe after the examination and lab tests.
Can I go through detox at home?
Yes, if withdrawal is mild, you have had no seizures in the past, you have no serious illnesses, and there is a sober adult with you. The doctor will visit daily and stay in touch. If there is a risk of complications, an inpatient unit is safer; this decision is made after the examination.
Is detox necessary for sleeping pill dependence?
Yes, and this is one of the situations where stopping on your own is dangerous. Abruptly stopping sedative medications after long-term use can cause seizures and psychosis. At Akalam, this kind of withdrawal is carried out gradually, under a doctor’s supervision, and sometimes in an inpatient unit.
What should I bring to the inpatient unit?
Comfortable clothes, slippers, toiletries, and a list of the medications you take and your chronic conditions. Documents are not required for anonymous treatment. Alcohol, drugs, and any medications not approved by the doctor may not be brought in. Phones are usually allowed, and the rules are discussed on admission.
What should I do after detox is finished?
Do not stop treatment. The doctor will offer relapse prevention therapy, psychotherapy, and, if needed, a rehab program. The first weeks after detox are the period of highest relapse risk, so it is important to stay in contact with your doctor and plan for difficult situations in advance.
Sources and review
Prepared by the Akalam medical editorial team based on:
- ICD-10 and ICD-11: mental and behavioural disorders
- Clinical protocols of the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan
- Code of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System”
- WHO: mental health and substance use
- NICE and APA clinical guidelines
This information is for reference and does not replace a doctor's consultation. Editorial policy