Reviewed byRinat Zhumabekov, MDAddiction psychiatrist, experience 21 years · updated 8 Nov 2026
Key facts
- Who provides care
- A psychiatrist-addiction specialist (narcologist); for psychotherapeutic methods, a psychotherapist
- Where
- The clinic in Almaty; the initial consultation can be held online
- Duration
- The consultation takes about an hour; implant removal takes 20–40 minutes
- Anonymity
- No registry, medical confidentiality, under a name of your choice
- When it is urgent
- Drinking alcohol while coding is active and feeling unwell — 103 or 112
- Outcome
- An understanding of the risks, a safe plan and a decision made consciously
What you should know
People call asking for “decoding” less often than for an IV drip, but these calls are memorable. Most often, the person was coded long ago — alcohol “coding” (a treatment widely used in Kazakhstan and CIS countries) — somewhere in another city, and no longer remembers exactly what was done. Sometimes it is an implant placed a year ago that worries them before a holiday or a wedding. Sometimes the person simply feels that the coding is weighing on them and wants to make their own decisions. In such cases, the dispatcher calmly asks questions and books a consultation, without any lecturing.
To be honest, the first thing I find out is not “how to decode” but why the person wants it. Sometimes behind the request lies a strong craving, and then the conversation is about support, not about reversing the coding. Sometimes the person has developed contraindications: heart disease, a planned operation. People come to the consultation from different parts of the city — from the Bostandyk district, from the lower part of town beyond Tashkentskaya Street — and from Kaskelen. The conversation is free of judgment: the decision remains with the person.
Common Reasons People Seek Alcohol Decoding
- contraindications have appeared: heart disease, a planned operation, pregnancy
- the implant causes discomfort or inflammation, or the insertion site is bothersome
- the person does not remember which method was used or for how long
- psychotherapeutic coding causes anxiety and obsessive fears
- the need to take medications that are incompatible with the protective drug
- a wish to make one’s own decisions about sobriety without a “ban”
- a strong craving and fear that relapsing while coded will be dangerous
If two or three points apply, it is worth seeing a doctor. Phone advice is free and confidential. If life is at risk, call 103 or 112.
What You Need to Know Before Decoding
“Decoding” is an everyday word, and it covers very different procedures. With a psychotherapeutic method, such as the Dovzhenko method, it means a conversation with a psychotherapist who helps remove the commitment and the anxiety. With an implant, it means removing it, if that still makes sense. With an injected chemical protection drug, the medication cannot be removed — you can only wait for it to be cleared from the body. There is no universal “antidote” that instantly cancels any method.
That is why the most dangerous thing is to believe you can drink right after the procedure. A medication given earlier may still be in the body, and the reaction to alcohol will be just as severe. In addition, for a person with an addiction, removing the protection often means a quick return to binges. The doctor will definitely discuss this too — not to talk you out of it, but so that the decision is conscious and safe.
How Decoding Works: Consultation and Next Steps
The first step is conveniently taken online: by video, the addiction doctor will ask where, when and by which method the coding was done, what documents have been kept, and what is worrying you now. Then comes an in-person appointment: an examination, an ECG and blood tests if needed, and an inspection of the implant site. The doctor explains what can realistically be done in your case, how long the medication may remain active and what the risks are. Once a decision is made, a consent form is signed and the procedure or a conversation with a psychotherapist takes place.
Decoding is not carried out while the person is intoxicated: if someone has already had a drink while on medication-based coding and feels unwell, this is an emergency — call 103 or 112. Implant removal is postponed in the case of an acute infection and certain illnesses. We do not promise that alcohol will become safe immediately after the consultation: with chemical protection, you need to wait until the medication has been cleared, and the doctor determines how long that takes.
How we help
Consultation and gathering information
The doctor finds out which method was used, for how long and with which medications, and whether there are any documents or discharge summaries. If there is no information, the doctor relies on the person’s account, the implant insertion site and the time of the procedure. The person’s overall health and the reasons they want to be decoded are assessed. Without this step, anything done would be guesswork, not medical care.
Implant removal
If the implant is still active and removing it is justified, the doctor extracts what remains of it in the treatment room under local anesthesia. The procedure takes about half an hour, after which a stitch or dressing is applied. It is important to understand that part of the medication may already be in the bloodstream by this point, so restrictions on alcohol remain in place for the period the doctor specifies.
Work with a psychotherapist
With psychotherapeutic coding, decoding is a conversation in which the doctor helps the person remove the commitment and the fears associated with it. It often turns out that the anxiety is linked not so much to the method itself as to tension in the family or at work. These topics also become part of the conversation, which in itself reduces the risk of relapse.
Plan after decoding
We discuss what comes next: whether the person wants to stay sober on their own, whether psychotherapy, medication support or follow-up by an addiction doctor is needed. If the person decides to drink again, we speak honestly about the risk of binges and offer help should it be needed. The on-call team is always available, including nights and holidays.
Myths and facts
MythThere is a shot that instantly removes any coding
FactThere is no universal “antidote.” With an implant, it can be removed; with a psychotherapeutic method, a conversation can be held; with chemical protection, you need to wait until the medication is cleared. Promises of instant decoding should make you wary.
MythAfter decoding, you can have a drink right away
FactIf a medication-based method was used, the drug may still be active, and alcohol will cause a severe reaction. The doctor determines when it is safe. Rushing here can end with a call to the ambulance instead of a celebration.
MythGetting decoded means admitting defeat
FactThere are many different reasons: health, medications, an operation, anxiety. Deciding to be decoded does not make a person “weak.” What matters is making the decision consciously, with a doctor, and knowing where to turn if staying sober becomes difficult.
How a home visit works
- Call or message usThe dispatcher answers 24/7 and in 3–5 minutes checks the person's condition, age, how long the drinking or use has lasted, chronic conditions and the address. No surname needed.
- The doctor sets offAn addiction doctor or psychiatrist comes with equipment and medication. Travel time depends on the district — usually within an hour. If inpatient care or an ambulance is needed, we'll say so straight away.
- Examination and treatmentBlood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, blood sugar if needed and a neurological check. Then an IV drip or other treatment as indicated, 1–3 hours.
- A plan for the next daysAdvice for the family on what to do overnight and tomorrow, phone follow-up and a repeat visit if needed.
- Further treatmentCoding, psychotherapy, rehab or psychiatric follow-up — once the acute state has passed and the person is ready.
Prices in Almaty
| Consultation and assessment before the procedure | 10 000 ₸ |
| Procedure (standard) | 50 000 ₸ |
| Procedure (extended) | 80 000 ₸ |
| Phone advice | free |
The final cost is agreed before treatment starts. Prices are in tenge and do not constitute a public offer.
Where to get help
In almaty you can get help at home, at one of our two branches (84 Zhandosova St., Almaty, 21 Seyfullina Ave., office 11, Almaty) or online if you need a consultation rather than a procedure. The dispatcher answers 24/7 and will tell you straight away which option is safest.
Confidential and private
Information about your request, diagnosis and treatment is protected by medical confidentiality under the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System”. We do not share it with employers, schools, the police or neighbours; the only exceptions are those expressly set by law. A first name is enough to call us, and paid confidential treatment does not mean a registry entry.
Questions and answers
Can decoding be done at home?
The consultation can start online, and in the case of a binge, a doctor from the Narcology 24 mobile team will come to your home in any district of Almaty or the suburbs. But implant removal and a full risk assessment are carried out at the clinic, which has a treatment room and can perform an ECG and blood tests if necessary.
How can I find out which method I was coded with?
Documents, a contract, a discharge summary or the leaflet received after the procedure will help. If nothing has been kept, the doctor relies on your account, the location and appearance of the implant scar, and the time of the procedure. Sometimes it is impossible to identify the medication precisely, and then the doctor chooses the most cautious approach.
How long after decoding can I drink?
It depends on the method. With psychotherapeutic coding, no medications were given, but the question of the risk of binges remains. With chemical protection and an implant, a period is needed for the medication to be cleared, and the doctor will tell you how long. Drinking alcohol before then is dangerous to health and life.
Can a person be decoded without their knowledge?
No. Any medical intervention is carried out only with the consent of the adult patient. Relatives can come to a consultation to understand the situation, but we perform the procedure only on the person themselves, at their own decision and after an informed consent form has been signed.
What should I do if I drank while coded?
With a pounding heart, shortness of breath, flushing, vomiting, chest pain or dizziness, call 103 or 112 immediately and say that you have had chemical protection or an implant. If you feel fine, contact the doctor anyway: they will assess the situation and tell you what to do.
Is it anonymous?
Yes. The consultation and the procedure are anonymous, without state dispensary registration. Information is protected by medical confidentiality under the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System” and is disclosed only in cases expressly provided for by law. We do not judge and we do not try to persuade.
Where do doctors visit in Almaty and where are the branches?
Home visits cover all city districts and nearby settlements, 24/7. Appointments at two branches: 84 Zhandosova St., Almaty and 21 Seyfullina Ave., office 11, Almaty. Phone in Almaty: +7 (700) 309-29-88.
Sources and methodology
This page was prepared by the Narcology 24 medical editorial team based on:
- International Classification of Diseases ICD-10 and ICD-11, World Health Organization
- Clinical diagnosis and treatment protocols of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System”
- NICE (UK) guidelines on alcohol and drug misuse and mental health conditions
- WHO recommendations on the treatment of substance use disorders
This information is for reference only and does not replace a consultation with a specialist. Editorial policy
