Reviewed by: Askar Sarsenbayev, MD, addiction medicine physician · updated 6 Nov 2026
Key facts
- ICD-10 code
- F10.3
- Who leads care
- a psychiatrist specializing in addiction medicine; online assessment and home visit
- Format
- video consultation before the visit, followed by a doctor’s care at home
- Duration
- the doctor’s visit usually lasts several hours, depending on the patient’s condition
- Confidentiality
- no registration on a state registry, medical confidentiality, a discreet arrival
- When it’s urgent
- seizures, hallucinations, confusion, chest pain — call 103 or 112
- Outcome
- relief of withdrawal symptoms, stabilization, and a plan for further treatment
What you should know
It is usually relatives who call: “He’s been drinking for five days and can’t stop,” “He tried to quit — he’s shaking and can’t sleep.” The process looks like this: you message us on WhatsApp or call, and the administrator asks safety questions. If there are seizures or hallucinations, or the person doesn’t understand where they are, call 103 or 112 immediately. If not, an addiction specialist joins you on video, assesses the condition, and decides whether it is safe to end the binge at home or whether inpatient care is needed.
The online stage saves time: the doctor knows in advance how long the binge has lasted, what chronic illnesses there are, and what medications have been taken, and arrives prepared. They tell you what to do before they arrive: help the person lie down, give them water, and give them no alcohol or sleeping pills. Then the doctor travels to your home — to any district of Almaty, from Bostandyk to Nauryzbay, and to the suburbs. At night, when there are no traffic jams, the trip takes less time.
When Ending a Binge Requires a Doctor
- the binge has lasted several days, and attempts to stop end with another drink
- severe hand tremors, sweating, and a racing heart when trying not to drink
- nausea, vomiting, inability to eat normally or even keep water down
- insomnia, anxiety, fear, and irritability in the first hours without alcohol
- blood pressure spikes, headache, severe weakness, and dizziness
- chronic heart or liver disease or diabetes — quitting on your own is dangerous
- previous binges ended in seizures or delirium
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. An online consultation is free and helps assess the risks before a visit. For seizures, confusion or hallucinations call 103 or 112.
Why Coming Off a Binge on Your Own Is Dangerous
With prolonged drinking, the nervous system adapts to alcohol. When the intake of alcohol suddenly stops, alcohol withdrawal syndrome develops: an autonomic storm with tremors, sweating, spikes in blood pressure and pulse, anxiety, and insomnia. In some people, it is complicated by seizures and alcohol withdrawal delirium — a state of confusion and hallucinations that is life-threatening. The risk is higher with long binges and previous complications.
In addition, a binge exhausts the body: dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and flare-ups of liver, pancreatic, and heart disease. Attempts to “self-treat” with sleeping pills, sedatives, or folk remedies combined with alcohol can suppress breathing. That is why it is safer to come off a binge under the supervision of a doctor who will assess the risks and, if necessary, refer the person to a hospital.
How the Online Consultation and Home Visit Work Together
The online stage is for initial assessment and preparation. By video, the addiction specialist clarifies how long the binge has lasted, how much was consumed, the symptoms, chronic illnesses, and medications taken. If possible, they look at the patient: speech, orientation, tremors. They decide whether at-home detox is safe and arrange the visit. They also explain how to prepare: air out the room, gather discharge summaries and a list of medications, and make sure the environment is calm.
A binge cannot be ended online: detoxification, an IV drip, and monitoring of blood pressure and pulse are carried out only in person, by a doctor at home or in a hospital. In case of seizures, hallucinations, confusion, chest pain, or vomiting blood, call 103 or 112. Alcohol “coding” (a treatment widely used in Kazakhstan and CIS countries) is never done on the day a binge is ended: only after an examination, once sober, and with the patient’s consent.
How we help
Examination and risk assessment
On arrival, the doctor measures blood pressure and pulse and assesses breathing, orientation, and the degree of tremors and dehydration. They clarify the medical history and which substances have been taken. Based on this, they decide whether care can continue at home or whether hospitalization is safer. This is the key stage: it determines how safely the person will come off the binge.
Detoxification therapy when indicated
If the patient’s condition allows, the doctor carries out detoxification: replenishes fluids and electrolytes and uses medications from classes that relieve withdrawal symptoms and support the heart, liver, and nervous system. The combination is selected individually. The doctor monitors the response and adjusts care during the visit.
Recommendations for the next few days
After the visit, the doctor explains how the next few days will go: fluids, food, sleep, which symptoms are normal, and which require urgent help. Relatives receive instructions on how to monitor the patient. The next day, you can connect with the addiction specialist online and discuss how the person is feeling without a repeat visit.
Further addiction treatment
Ending a binge relieves the acute state but does not treat the addiction. The doctor discusses a further plan: online addiction consultations, psychotherapy, relapse-prevention medications after an examination, and rehabilitation. Coding is possible only after an examination, once sober, with consent, and as part of comprehensive treatment.
Myths and facts
MythYou can end a binge without a doctor — just stop drinking
FactAbruptly stopping a prolonged binge can cause seizures and delirium. The risk is hard to predict in advance. It is safer to come off a binge under medical supervision, especially with chronic illnesses and past complications.
MythAn IV drip is the treatment for alcoholism
FactAn IV drip relieves intoxication and withdrawal symptoms but does not affect cravings or the reasons for drinking. Without further treatment, the risk of a new binge remains high. Ending a binge is only the first step.
MythThe doctor can come over and do coding right away
FactCoding is never done during a binge or on the day a binge is ended. It is possible only after an examination, once sober, with voluntary consent, and as part of comprehensive treatment.
How an online appointment works
- Message or callWrite on WhatsApp or call — our coordinator replies within minutes, day or night. You don't have to give your surname.
- Doctor and timeWe match you with a psychiatrist, addiction specialist or psychotherapist and agree on a time — often the same day.
- Video consultationA secure 50–60 minute video call: the doctor takes a detailed history and uses standardised scales if needed.
- Treatment planYou receive a clear summary, recommendations and a plan: what we do online and what needs an in-person visit or home call.
- Follow-upOnline follow-up sessions, messenger contact with your doctor, and treatment adjustments until you get a stable result.
Prices in Almaty
| Online assessment before the visit | free |
| Home alcohol detox (IV drip) | 40 000 ₸ |
| Night visit (10 pm – 8 am) | 50 000 ₸ |
The final cost is agreed before treatment starts. Prices are in tenge and do not constitute a public offer.
Where to get help
Psychiatry Online in Almaty: same-day video appointments and two branches for in-person visits — 129 Kurmangazy St., office 8, Almaty and 110 Bogenbay batyra St., office 15, Almaty. Our mobile team works around the clock: all city districts and nearby settlements. If you live elsewhere in Almaty and Almaty Region, starting online is usually easiest.
Confidential and private
Information about your visit, diagnosis and treatment is protected by medical confidentiality under the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System”. We never share it with your employer, school or relatives without your consent; the only exceptions are those expressly set out by law. For an online consultation your first name is enough, video runs over a secure channel and nothing is recorded without your consent.
Questions and answers
Can a binge be ended online?
No. Online, the addiction specialist carries out an initial assessment, decides whether at-home detox is safe, and helps you prepare. The detoxification itself is carried out in person: the doctor comes to your home. If there are signs of dangerous complications, inpatient care or a call to 103 or 112 is recommended.
How long does the doctor’s visit take?
Usually several hours: an examination, detoxification when indicated, and monitoring of the patient’s condition. The exact time depends on the severity of the binge and how the body responds. After the visit, you can stay in touch with the addiction specialist online and discuss how the person is feeling.
Will the doctor come if the person doesn’t want treatment?
Care is provided with the patient’s consent. The doctor can talk to them by video or during the visit and explain why ending the binge is necessary. Involuntary measures are possible only in accordance with the law of the Republic of Kazakhstan. If there is a threat to life, call 103 or 112.
Will the neighbors find out about the doctor’s visit?
If you ask, the doctor arrives without a marked uniform or sirens. A visit from Psychiatry Online is anonymous, with no registration on a state registry. All information is protected by medical confidentiality under the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System.”
Which districts and suburbs does the doctor travel to?
Home visits are available to all districts of Almaty — Medeu, Bostandyk, Almaly, Auezov, Nauryzbay, and others — and to the suburbs: Kaskelen, Talgar, and Konaev. Arrival time depends on distance and demand; the administrator will give it to you when booking.
What should I do before the doctor arrives?
Don’t give the person alcohol, sleeping pills, or sedatives. Offer water in small sips and help them lie down, preferably on their side if they are drowsy. Don’t leave them alone. If seizures, hallucinations, confusion, or chest pain appear, call 103 or 112.
Where can I be seen in Almaty?
Online — from anywhere in the city or region. In person — at two branches: 129 Kurmangazy St., office 8, Almaty and 110 Bogenbay batyra St., office 15, Almaty. Both are open 24/7; home visits cover all city districts and nearby settlements.
Sources and methodology
This page was prepared by the Psychiatry Online 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) and APA (US) guidelines on the treatment of mental disorders
- WHO recommendations on telemedicine and digital health
This information is for reference only and does not replace a consultation with a specialist. Editorial policy
