Addiction Treatment in Dhaka: Counseling for Drug, Alcohol, Gaming and Phone Addiction
Addiction is a health problem, not a weakness or a moral failure. With the right help, people recover every day. I provide confidential, evidence based counseling for drug, alcohol, gaming, phone and online betting addiction, for the person who is struggling and for the family around them.
My chamber is inside Model Addiction and Psychiatric Care in Farmgate, so if detox, medication or admission is needed, a psychiatrist and inpatient care are in the same building. Sessions are also available online.
Quick facts
| Who it is for | Adults and teenagers using drugs, alcohol or medicines in a way they cannot control, people with gaming, phone, social media or betting problems, and worried family members |
| What I treat | Cannabis (ganja), yaba, alcohol, phensedyl and codeine syrups, heroin, sleeping pills and other prescription drugs, gaming disorder, problematic phone and social media use, online betting and gambling |
| How I treat it | Motivational interviewing, CBT, relapse prevention, mindfulness based relapse prevention and family sessions (CRAFT) |
| Format | Outpatient sessions in person at Farmgate or online. Psychiatric review, detox and admission arranged with the psychiatry team when needed |
| Session length | 45 to 50 minutes, in Bangla or English |
| Availability | Online 7 days a week. In person on selected days, at a time agreed with you on WhatsApp |
| Booking | WhatsApp +8801929446548. Fees are shared before you book |
Addiction in Bangladesh: why so many families are struggling
Late one night, a mother sends a message. Her son is 22. Money has been going missing from the house, he sleeps all day, and when she asks, he gets angry. She is not sure if it is yaba, ganja or just stress, and she is scared of what neighbors will say if anyone finds out. Messages like this are common in my work. (This is a composite example, with details changed to protect privacy.)
She is far from alone. A 2025 national survey by the Department of Narcotics Control and Bangladesh Medical University estimated that about 8.2 million people in Bangladesh, close to 5 percent of the population, use illicit drugs. Cannabis is the most common, followed by yaba (methamphetamine), alcohol and codeine based syrups. Most users are young, between 15 and 30.
Treatment has not kept up. Government services have only a few hundred beds for the whole country, and many private rehab centers vary widely in quality. That is why good outpatient care, early help and family support matter so much. Most people do not need to be locked away to recover. They need a clear plan, skills, and people who understand.
Signs that substance use or a habit has become an addiction
The World Health Organization describes addiction by three core features: losing control over use, giving it more and more priority over other parts of life, and continuing despite clear harm. Look out for these signs:
- Using more, or for longer, than planned, and failing to cut down
- Needing more to get the same effect, or feeling sick, restless, anxious or unable to sleep without it
- Studies, work, prayer, family time or hobbies slipping because of use
- Lying, secrecy, borrowing or taking money, or selling belongings
- Mood swings, irritability, a reversed sleep pattern, or a new group of friends
- For gaming and phones: losing track of time, anger when asked to stop, and grades or work suffering for months
Get medical help first if someone has severe withdrawal from alcohol or sleeping pills (shaking, confusion, fits), sees or hears things that are not there, injects drugs, has overdosed, or talks about ending their life. Go to the nearest hospital emergency department or call 999.
Outpatient counseling, detox or rehab: which is right?
Not everyone needs admission. The right level of care depends on how severe the use is, physical health, safety, and support at home.
| Option | Usually suits | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient counseling | Mild to moderate addiction, gaming, phone or betting problems, people still working or studying, and after rehab to prevent relapse | Weekly sessions in person or online, family sessions, a relapse prevention plan |
| Medically supervised detox | Heavy daily alcohol, sleeping pill or opioid use with withdrawal symptoms | A few days to two weeks under a psychiatrist, then counseling |
| Inpatient rehab | Severe addiction, repeated failed attempts, psychosis, no safe home environment | A structured stay with medical and psychological care, followed by outpatient aftercare |
Whatever the starting point, research shows that continuing care after detox or rehab is what protects recovery. Leaving rehab with no follow up plan is one of the most common reasons people relapse. How to choose a psychiatric hospital or rehab in Dhaka.
How I treat addiction, and what the research shows
- Motivational interviewing. Most people feel two ways about quitting. Instead of lectures, we explore your own reasons for change. A meta analysis of 119 studies (Lundahl, 2010) found it helps across alcohol, drugs and other behaviors.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). We map your triggers, cravings and high risk situations, and practice ways to handle them. A meta analysis of 53 randomized trials (Magill and Ray, 2009) supports CBT for alcohol and drug use.
- Rewarding progress. Approaches that reward clean days and small wins showed some of the strongest effects in a large review of psychosocial treatments (Dutra, 2008). We build this into your plan with your family.
- Mindfulness based relapse prevention. Learning to notice cravings without acting on them. In a randomized trial in JAMA Psychiatry (Bowen, 2014), it reduced drug use and heavy drinking a year later compared with usual care.
- Family sessions. Families are often the strongest force for recovery, and they need support too.
I also want you to know this: relapse does not mean failure. A well known paper in JAMA (McLellan, 2000) showed that relapse rates for drug addiction, around 40 to 60 percent, are similar to those for other long term conditions such as high blood pressure and asthma. A slip is a signal to adjust the plan, not to give up.
When your family member refuses help
Many families come to me before the person using drugs is ready. That is fine. You can start alone.
I use principles from Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT), an approach that teaches families how to communicate without fights, reward sober behavior, step back from rescuing, and look after their own wellbeing. In a review of CRAFT studies (Roozen, 2010), about two in three families helped a resistant loved one enter treatment, more than with confrontation based approaches.
A word about rehab centers. News reports in Bangladesh have described patients in some centers being chained, beaten or held against their will. International standards from the UNODC and WHO say treatment should be voluntary, ethical and evidence based. Before choosing any facility, check:
- A valid license from the Department of Narcotics Control
- A psychiatrist and trained psychologists or counselors on the team
- No physical punishment, and regular family contact
- A written treatment and aftercare plan
- No promise of a guaranteed cure
Gaming, phone, social media and online betting addiction
Behavioral addictions are real. The World Health Organization added gaming disorder to its ICD-11 classification, and a global meta analysis (Stevens, 2021) estimated that around 3 percent of gamers meet criteria. In Bangladesh, I see more teenagers and young adults losing sleep, studies and jobs to gaming, short videos and online betting apps.
Treatment uses the same core tools: understanding what the game or app gives you (escape, achievement, connection), CBT to change habits and thinking, practical limits agreed with the family, and building a life that competes with the screen. For children, parents are always part of the plan. Child and teen therapy.
What happens in your first session
- 1A short message first
Write on WhatsApp what is happening and who it is for. You get available times and the fee. - 2Assessment
We look at what is used, how much, for how long, physical and mental health, safety, and what matters to you. Families can join for part of the session. - 3A clear plan
You leave knowing whether outpatient counseling is enough, or whether a psychiatrist, detox or admission should come first, and what the next weeks look like.
What recovery usually looks like
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| First 2 to 4 weeks | Stabilizing: reducing or stopping use, managing withdrawal with medical support if needed, sleep and routine, spotting triggers |
| 1 to 3 months | Building skills: handling cravings, stress and social pressure, repairing trust at home, planning for high risk days |
| 3 to 12 months | Keeping it going: fewer sessions, relapse prevention, work or study goals, family sessions as needed |
Everyone is different. Some people need longer, and that is normal for a long term condition.
Privacy and confidentiality
Many people delay help because they fear being exposed. What you share in sessions is confidential and is not shared with family, employers or anyone else without your permission. The only exception is a serious risk to your life or someone else’s, which I will always discuss with you openly. Online sessions use secure video, and you can use a first name only when you message. Read the privacy policy.
Helpful reads
About your psychologist
I am Psychologist Alal (Md Alal Mia), a psychologist in Dhaka with more than 5 years of clinical experience. I completed an MS in Clinical Psychology at the University of Dhaka, an MSc in Clinical and Counseling Psychology at Jagannath University, and postgraduate training in psychotherapy at the Department of Psychiatry, BSMMU. My chamber is at Model Addiction and Psychiatric Care, 113/A, Gate No. 1 Road, Monipuripara, Farmgate, Tejgaon, Dhaka 1215, where I work alongside psychiatrists in addiction and mental health care. More about me.
Written and last reviewed by Psychologist Alal, October 2026.
References
- Department of Narcotics Control, Bangladesh Medical University and RMCL (2025). National survey on drug use in Bangladesh, reported January 2026. Link
- McLellan AT, Lewis DC, O’Brien CP, Kleber HD (2000). Drug dependence, a chronic medical illness. JAMA, 284(13), 1689 to 1695. Link
- Dutra L et al. (2008). A meta analytic review of psychosocial interventions for substance use disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(2), 179 to 187. Link
- Lundahl BW et al. (2010). A meta analysis of motivational interviewing: twenty five years of empirical studies. Research on Social Work Practice, 20(2), 137 to 160. Link
- Magill M, Ray LA (2009). Cognitive behavioral treatment with adult alcohol and illicit drug users: a meta analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 70(4), 516 to 527. Link
- Bowen S et al. (2014). Relative efficacy of mindfulness based relapse prevention, standard relapse prevention, and treatment as usual for substance use disorders: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 71(5), 547 to 556. Link
- Roozen HG, de Waart R, van der Kroft P (2010). Community reinforcement and family training: an effective option to engage treatment resistant substance abusing individuals in treatment. Addiction, 105(10), 1729 to 1738. Link
- Stevens MWR et al. (2021). Global prevalence of gaming disorder: a systematic review and meta analysis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 55(6), 553 to 568. Link
- UNODC and WHO (2020). International Standards for the Treatment of Drug Use Disorders. Link
- World Health Organization. ICD-11: Disorders due to substance use or addictive behaviours. Link
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Common Questions About Addiction Treatment in Dhaka
Yes. I provide outpatient psychological treatment for drug and alcohol addiction at my chamber in Farmgate, Dhaka, and online. When detox, medication or admission is needed, it is arranged with the psychiatry team at Model Addiction and Psychiatric Care.
Often, yes. Many people with mild to moderate addiction, and most people with gaming, phone or betting problems, recover with outpatient counseling and family support. Admission is advised for severe withdrawal, psychosis, safety risks or repeated failed attempts.
The best supported psychological treatments include motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, approaches that reward progress, mindfulness based relapse prevention and family involvement. Medication from a psychiatrist can also help for some substances.
You can start alone. Family focused approaches such as CRAFT teach you how to communicate and respond in ways that make treatment more likely. In studies, about two in three families helped a resistant loved one enter treatment this way.
Yes. I treat gaming disorder, problematic phone and social media use, and online betting in teenagers and adults, using CBT, practical limits and family sessions.
Yes. I work with cannabis (ganja), yaba, alcohol, phensedyl and codeine syrups, heroin and prescription drug misuse. Heavy alcohol or sleeping pill use needs a medical check first because withdrawal can be dangerous.
No. Relapse rates for addiction, around 40 to 60 percent, are similar to other long term conditions like high blood pressure. A relapse means the plan needs adjusting, and most people who keep going do get better.
Yes. What you share is not shared with family, employers or anyone else without your permission, except where there is a serious risk to safety.
Yes. Online sessions are available 7 days a week by secure video, in Bangla or English, for people anywhere in Bangladesh or abroad.
Fees depend on the type of session, such as individual, family or online, and are shared on WhatsApp before you book.
