Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centres in Istanbul, Turkey

Where does detox happen in İstanbul?

Detox in İstanbul mostly takes place in hospital settings: hospital detox is listed at most of the city’s rehabs, and residential detox and outpatient detox at some. The public AMATEM clinic on the Asian side also offers intensive care for people with severe withdrawal from alcohol or drugs.

Alcohol detox and withdrawal care for heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine and codeine are each listed at nearly all of the rehabs in İstanbul, so the choice usually turns on setting and payment rather than on the substance.

How common is medical detox in İstanbul?

Medical detox is listed at nearly all of the rehabs in İstanbul, which makes it the most widely available level of care in the city alongside outpatient treatment. Supervised withdrawal from alcohol and opioids is the usual focus, and some rehabs in İstanbul also list detox for cocaine and crystal methamphetamine.

Withdrawal from alcohol can carry medical risks, so asking a clinic whether a doctor is on site at night, and how quickly a person can be moved to intensive care, is a reasonable step before admission.

What happens after detox in İstanbul?

After detox in İstanbul, many people move to outpatient or residential care: aftercare and continuing support is listed at about half of the city’s rehabs, and residential treatment at some. Outpatient sessions are offered at nearly all, so weekly therapy can continue close to home.

Treatment that keeps away from all substances is the stated approach at a few rehabs, while medication-assisted treatment and opioid tapering are listed at a few as well.

How do I reach a public addiction unit in İstanbul?

A public addiction unit in İstanbul is reached in three ways, according to the Ministry of Health: an appointment booked through Alo 191, its 24-hour drug counseling line, an appointment through Alo 182, the national hospital booking system, or a direct personal application at the treatment center itself, with no referral needed first.

Public units in İstanbul run as an open service, so treatment there is voluntary. A family member can also phone Alo 191 for advice on how to approach someone who is not yet ready to seek help.

Is public treatment in İstanbul free?

Public treatment in İstanbul is paid by SGK general health insurance, and the Ministry of Health says adults over 18 with a substance addiction can be treated free even if they have missed premium payments or owe premiums. Publicly funded treatment is listed at about half of the rehabs in İstanbul.

State health insurance is accepted at about half of the city’s rehabs too, and publicly funded mental health treatment appears at a few.

Paying for rehab in İstanbul

Paying for rehab in İstanbul means either using SGK cover at a public unit or meeting private fees, which have an estimated typical range of €3,600 to €11,200 a month for medical detox and €5,900 to €16,600 a month for residential care. Self-pay is listed at about half of the city’s rehabs.

Room type, length of stay and the medical support needed in the first days of withdrawal all move a private stay up or down those ranges.

What does rehab in İstanbul cost each month?

Rehab in İstanbul costs an estimated €700 to €2,400 a month for outpatient care at the low end and up to €16,600 a month for a private residential stay at the top. The table gives the estimated typical monthly range for the three levels of care that the city’s rehabs list.

Private addiction centers in İstanbul work under the national regulation on addiction counseling, detoxification and rehabilitation centers. As that text sets out, the Ministry of Health’s directorate for the province issues each license for one named service type, such as inpatient detox, after inspecting the premises, so the license shows exactly what a clinic may offer.

Can someone in İstanbul pay privately?

Yes, about half of the rehabs in İstanbul accept self-pay, so a private stay can start without any insurance in place. Payment terms differ from clinic to clinic in İstanbul, so it helps to get the fee for detox, any residential stay and follow-up outpatient sessions confirmed in writing before admission.

Someone with a policy from another country can ask the clinic whether it deals with that insurer directly, or whether the person pays and claims the cost back later.

Does rehab in İstanbul treat cocaine and methamphetamine?

Yes. Stimulant addiction, including cocaine, crack cocaine and methamphetamine, is listed at some of the rehabs in İstanbul, alongside alcohol and opioids at nearly all. Nicotine and tobacco support appears at about half of the city’s rehabs as well.

Mental health treatment is offered at nearly all of the rehabs in İstanbul, and treatment for depression and anxiety alongside addiction at some.

Do rehabs in İstanbul accept court referrals?

Court-ordered treatment is listed at some of the rehabs in İstanbul. Turkish law also allows a Civil Peace Court to place an adult in a suitable facility under Article 432 of the Turkish Civil Code, when addiction puts others at risk and there is no other way to protect them.

Separate from those orders, the public AMATEM units in İstanbul treat only people who agree to it.

Arriving in İstanbul for treatment

Arriving in İstanbul for treatment usually means flying into Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW), which has international flights and lies 20.4 miles from central İstanbul in a straight line. Turkey’s e-Visa does not cover treatment, so a visa from a Turkish embassy or consulate is needed.

Some nationalities can enter without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180 days. The nearest emergency department is 0.1 miles from the city center, and at least 25 hospitals lie within 10 miles.

Göz Tepe, a hill, is 8.1 miles out, and Küçükçekmece Gölü, a lake west of the center, is 10.8 miles away. The nearest beach is at Kısırka Village, 16.6 miles north. Rehab is also listed in Greece, Cyprus, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Can I bring prescribed medicine to rehab in İstanbul?

Prescribed medicine can come to İstanbul with the right papers: Turkey’s submission to the International Narcotics Control Board asks for a valid prescription, a doctor’s certificate from the home country’s health authorities and a certificate from Turkish health authorities. Only enough medicine for the stay is allowed, and the original prescription is shown at customs.

Methadone may be brought in for no more than 15 days, declared on arrival with the international model certificate. Cannabis plant and resin are prohibited.

Are there English-speaking support meetings in İstanbul?

English-speaking AA meetings in İstanbul appear on the listing kept by Alcoholics Anonymous for its Continental European region, according to the fellowship. These are mutual-aid meetings, not treatment, and they can sit alongside outpatient care in the city or continue after a stay ends.

Rehab listings in other countries are on the Europe page.