Reviewed by: Askar Sarsenbayev, MD, addiction medicine physician · updated 6 Nov 2026
Key facts
- Who provides care
- a clinical psychologist or psychotherapist; a psychiatrist if there is significant depression or anxiety
- Format
- individual video sessions and, if needed, sessions with several family members
- Duration
- 50-minute sessions; a course usually includes at least 6–10 sessions, then continues as needed
- Confidentiality
- no registration, full name not required; confidentiality under the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- When it's an emergency
- threat of violence, a loved one's overdose, suicidal thoughts — call 103, 112 or 150
- Outcome
- less anxiety and guilt, clear boundaries and a strategy for communicating with the person with addiction
What you should know
A wife who waits up every night for her husband to come home from an “office party,” a mother who keeps paying off her son's debts, a sister who can no longer remember the last time she thought about herself — this is codependency. The path to help begins with a short WhatsApp message: “I can't take it anymore, I don't know what to do about my brother.” The administrator finds a time, and a psychologist joins a video call. The first session is about you, not the person with the addiction: what is happening in the family, how you are sleeping, what you feel and what you have come to fear.
Many relatives in Almaty go years without seeking help: there is no time to get across the city, it feels shameful to tell friends, and it seems that they are not the ones who need treatment. An online consultation solves the first problem: you can join from Auezov district, from Talgar or during a break at work. Psychiatry Online helps loved ones regain their footing — and, surprisingly, this often becomes the very thing that nudges the person with the addiction toward treatment.
Signs That You Need Support Yourself
- your mood and plans depend entirely on whether your loved one is drinking or using
- you constantly check their phone, money and whereabouts and can't stop yourself
- you pay off their debts and make excuses for them to their employer and relatives
- you feel guilty, as if you failed to notice something or did something wrong
- you sleep poorly, get sick often, and have stopped seeing friends or taking care of yourself
- bursts of anger alternate with pity and promises to “help one last time”
- children in the family have become anxious or withdrawn, or copy the adults' conflicts
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.
What Codependency Is and Where It Comes From
Codependency is not a separate diagnosis in the ICD, but psychologists use the term to describe a persistent pattern of behavior among the loved ones of a person with an addiction. Family life starts to revolve around the drinking or drug use: relatives try to control, rescue and hide the problem. This is a natural reaction to chronic stress, but over time it wears people down and, unfortunately, often unintentionally helps sustain the addiction.
Codependency more often develops in people who grew up in families with alcohol problems or rigid rules, and in those who are used to being responsible for others and putting other people's needs ahead of their own. Chronic tension can lead to anxiety disorders, depression, insomnia and psychosomatic complaints. International family support programs show that working with loved ones improves their well-being and increases the chance that the person with the addiction will seek treatment.
How Online Help for Relatives Works
The video session takes place on WhatsApp, Telegram or Zoom. It is important to find a time and place where the person with the addiction cannot overhear — this could be your car, a park or your office. The psychologist helps you work through specific situations: what you do when your loved one comes home drunk, how you respond to requests for money, which words trigger an argument. You learn to calmly say “no,” express your feelings and stop taking on the consequences of someone else's substance use.
The online format is not suitable if there is physical violence in the family or a threat to life — in that case, first call 102, 103 or 112 and find a safe place. If you yourself have significant depression, panic attacks or suicidal thoughts, you may need an in-person consultation with a psychiatrist. If your loved one urgently needs help coming off a binge, our narcologist can come to your home, and if there are alarming symptoms, call 103.
How we help
Individual psychotherapy
Working with your own feelings: guilt, shame, anger and fear. The psychotherapist helps you understand which beliefs drive you to “rescue” your loved one at any cost and find healthier ways to care for both them and yourself. Gradually, your sleep, interests, contact with friends and the sense that your life belongs to you begin to return.
Learning new ways to communicate
The psychologist teaches you to talk to the person with the addiction in a way that lowers the chance of an argument and raises the chance that they will consider treatment. You practice specific phrases, learn to choose the right moment — when the person is sober — and to encourage steps toward sobriety without supporting the substance use. This approach is based on international family support programs.
Working on boundaries
Boundaries are not a punishment but rules that protect you: for example, not giving money, not calling their workplace with excuses, not cleaning up the aftermath of a binge. The psychotherapist helps you define these boundaries and stick to them, even when you feel very sorry for the person. For many, this is the hardest but also the most important stage.
Family sessions and preparing for an intervention
When the family is ready, a joint online session with several relatives can be held, followed by a carefully prepared conversation with the person about treatment. The specialist helps plan who will say what and which treatment options will be offered. If the person agrees, a narcologist can get involved the very same day.
Myths and facts
MythAs long as a loved one is drinking, only they need help
FactRelatives live under chronic stress and often need support themselves. When the family's behavior changes, the situation around the person with the addiction changes too. Helping yourself is not selfish — it is part of solving the problem.
MythIf you love them enough and keep them under control, they will quit
FactControl, persuasion and threats usually have a short-term effect and make conflicts worse. Addiction is a disease, and love alone cannot cure it. What works is a combination of boundaries, support for sober steps and an offer of professional treatment.
MythIt's shameful to tell strangers about family problems
FactA psychologist works confidentially, without judgment or shaming. Families of every income level and social standing face addiction. Asking for help is a sign of responsibility, not weakness.
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 addiction specialist consultation | 12 000 ₸ |
| Online consultation for relatives | 12 000 ₸ |
| Addiction specialist home visit | 40 000 ₸ |
The final cost is agreed before treatment starts. Prices are in tenge and do not constitute a public offer.
Where to get help
You can book in Almaty online or at one of two branches: 129 Kurmangazy St., office 8, Almaty, 110 Bogenbay batyra St., office 15, Almaty. Our coordinator replies on WhatsApp within minutes at any time, and a doctor usually connects by video the same day; home visits are available too — all city districts and nearby settlements.
Confidential and private
An online appointment in Almaty is first of all about privacy: no clinic visit, no waiting room. A private room and headphones are enough. Data is stored in a secure system with restricted access and does not enter any state registry without legal grounds.
Questions and answers
Does the person with the addiction need to take part in the consultations too?
No. Working on codependency is valuable in its own right. Many relatives start on their own, and over time the person with the addiction also seeks help. Joint sessions are possible, but only when both sides are ready. You can start today.
How often should I see the psychologist?
Usually once a week for the first 1–2 months, then less often. The online format means you don't have to skip sessions even in busy weeks or spend time crossing Almaty at rush hour. You agree on the frequency with your specialist, and you can choose evenings or weekends.
What should I do if my loved one becomes aggressive when intoxicated?
Your safety comes first. Go to a safe place, don't argue, and if you are threatened, call 102 or 112. During a consultation, the psychologist will help you draw up a safety plan for yourself and your children and discuss what steps to take next.
Can you help a teenager whose parent drinks?
Yes. Teenagers need separate, gentle support, and we can hold a consultation with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. In a crisis, a teenager can call the 150 helpline — it is free and anonymous.
Is confidentiality maintained if my husband and I come separately?
Yes. What each person shares in an individual session is not passed on to another family member without consent. Confidentiality is the foundation of our work; exceptions are possible only in cases explicitly provided for by law. Everyone can speak openly and without fear.
How can I tell if the consultations are helping?
Usually the first changes are that you sleep better, shout less often, stop constantly checking your loved one's phone and start taking your time back. Together with you, the psychologist tracks your progress and adjusts the plan if something isn't working.
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
