Addiction in teenagers in Astana

Reviewed byRinat Zhumabekov, MDAddiction psychiatrist, experience 21 years · updated 8 Nov 2026

Key facts

Who provides it

An addiction doctor, a psychiatrist, and a psychotherapist experienced in working with teenagers

Where

At the clinic, at home in Astana, or online for parents

Duration

Consultation — about an hour; the program — from several weeks

Anonymity

With the involvement of legal representatives; nothing passed on to the school

When it is urgent

Poisoning, seizures, delusions, suicidal thoughts — call 103 or 112, or the 150 helpline

Outcome

Risk assessment, a plan for the family, treatment, and rebuilding trust

What you should know

Parents of teenagers most often come to us with anxiety and doubt: “Maybe it’s just their age?” The child has become withdrawn, snaps back, skips classes, has changed friends, asks for money, and sometimes comes home with dilated pupils or a strange smell. Adolescence really does bring changes, but some signs call for a specialist’s attention. It is better to get a consultation and be reassured than to miss the moment when help can still be gentle and quick.

In Astana, teenagers spend a lot of time away from home: schools and colleges in different districts, after-school clubs, shopping malls, long commutes between the Left and Right Banks. Parents who are busy at work often see them only late in the evening. Narcology 24 specialists help parents understand what is going on, how to talk to a teenager without interrogations or threats, and how to preserve trust even if their worst fears are confirmed.

Warning Signs Parents Should Watch For

• a sudden change of friends, refusal to introduce the new ones, secrecy about their phone
• falling grades, truancy, conflicts with teachers
• unusual mood swings: from agitation to apathy and drowsiness
• red eyes, dilated or constricted pupils, an unusual smell
• money and belongings going missing at home, constant requests for money
• things you find: strange little packets, pills, smoking devices, foil
• giving up former interests, disrupted sleep and appetite

If heavy drinking has lasted more than two or three days, or there is shaking, vomiting, blood-pressure spikes or insomnia, you need a doctor rather than stopping alone. Phone advice is free. For seizures, confusion or hallucinations call 103 or 112.

Why Teenagers Start Using Substances

The teenage brain is still developing, especially the areas responsible for impulse control and risk assessment. That is why teenagers are more easily influenced by their peers, seek new sensations, and think less about consequences. Substance use can be a way of coping with anxiety, loneliness, bullying, or conflicts at home. It is important not only to forbid it but also to understand what problem the substance is solving for the child.

The risk is higher if there is addiction in the family, attention problems, anxiety, depression, a recent move, or the parents’ divorce. Many families in Astana have moved here from the regions, and it can be hard for a teenager to find their place in a new city. The internet has made synthetic drugs easier to obtain, and parents should know about this too, so they can spot the danger in time.

How we help

Myths and facts

How a home visit works

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Further treatmentCoding, psychotherapy, rehab or psychiatric follow-up — once the acute state has passed and the person is ready.

Prices in Astana

The final cost is agreed before treatment starts. Prices are in tenge and do not constitute a public offer.

Where to get help

“Addiction in teenagers” in Astana is available 24/7, including weekends. Home visits: all city districts and nearby settlements. For appointments, Narcology 24 has two branches: 6 Auezova St., office 37, Astana and 176 Imanova St., Astana. If you live elsewhere in Astana and Akmola Region, call us and we'll advise the fastest way to get help.

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