The centre is in Kyiv region, Boryspil district, in the village of Petropavlivske. Here a person lives around the clock among others with the same addiction and among the staff who work with them — and that is exactly what sets a stay in the centre apart from outpatient treatment.
Groups run outside the centre too — that much is true. But at home the job, the family, the old habits and the temptation to use are all still there. Making time for groups on your own is hard, and easy to put off, because there is already one “reliable” way of dealing with tiredness to hand — the substance.
In the centre the patient joins those same therapy groups, only now around the clock. The basics stop being a worry — money, food, a roof over their head. Coming through a hangover or withdrawal in an atmosphere of care is far gentler than doing it at home in the usual surroundings.
The centre's rules limit contact with the outside world, to protect the person from triggers and from people who do not understand the problem. At first this almost always provokes protest, and that is a normal part of the process.
The first two weeks are called quarantine. During this time nobody expects the person to do deep work on themselves: first the body simply has to recover.
The person gets to eat properly again — in addiction this basic need is usually treated as unimportant and forgotten. Sleep does not come back straight away for someone dependent on alcohol or drugs, but there is at least the chance to lie still and get warm.
Over these two weeks they meet others in the same position, and it becomes clear that addiction really can be treated, if the person wants it. Acceptance of the illness and of where they are now sets in, and with it the wish to be well.
After quarantine the main part begins: daily work on yourself, going through defects of character and looking for the reasons that led to using. The more honest a person is with themselves, the sooner the results come.
Therapy groups show those defects of character most clearly of all. In an atmosphere of respect, sharing their own experience and hearing the experience of others in the same position, a person sees themselves from the outside. They remember the times they fell, understand what caused them, and make the only decision that works in chemical dependency — not to use.
Alongside this, the centre's rules bring back, slowly and in small doses, the skills the illness has let waste away: keeping things clean, looking after your appearance and your health, thinking about the person next to you. Surrounded by others it comes more easily, because everyone there is an example of both the work and the change it brings.
In the early days after rehabilitation it matters that a person does not forget what they climbed out of, and that means staying in touch with people like themselves.
The traditions of the ISTOCK centre allow people to stay part of the family of those in recovery once the programme is over — including helping back up anyone who has relapsed. Nobody is to blame for falling ill, but everybody is responsible for their own recovery.
The ISTOCK centre is in Boryspil district, Kyiv region. How to get there, why it stands outside the city, and how families from other regions take part.
Eight questions worth putting to any rehabilitation centre before you decide, and the answers that are a good reason to end the call and keep looking.
What happens in the first two weeks of rehabilitation: withdrawal and hangover, sleep, food, the first protest and the first acceptance of the illness.
ISTOCK is a Christian centre. How spiritual work fits into the daily routine, where the twelve steps come in, and what happens if the person is not a believer.
It is different for everyone. That is not a formality: in each person the illness is at a different stage and has been running for a different number of years. We will give you a rough timescale for your case once we have talked and it is clear what we are dealing with.
Contact with the outside world is limited by the centre's rules in the early period, precisely to keep the person away from triggers. Calls and visits are arranged with the family separately, and what applies during quarantine is not what applies two months in.
Formally, yes — people stay at the centre voluntarily. But going home early, before sobriety has had time to settle, ends in a return to using in the great majority of cases.
Part of the daily routine is given over to spiritual work, and the centre is indeed Christian. At the same time, the staff treat people of any faith with respect, and the spiritual element is about restoring a person's humanity, not about compulsion.
Kyiv region, Boryspil district, village of Petropavlivske, 1 Slyvova Street. We agree the exact route and departure time by phone.
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I, Andrey, am now a former drug addict. My entire family struggled with this disease for a long time, but it kept coming back, and I started using again. I completed a rehabilitation course at the ISTOK Center. The center offered classes on specialized rehabilitation methods for addicts. The management and staff were positive and responsive, and everything contributed to my treatment and recovery. The center has a home-like atmosphere. Everything is thought out and calculated so that the addict can truly reflect on their problem and make the right choice, quitting alcohol and drugs. I recommend the ISTOK Center to anyone facing addiction and wanting to change their life for the better by making the right choice. Thank you again for your hard and necessary work and for instilling faith in people.
My name is Sergey, I live in Kharkiv, and I'm 39 years old. Alcohol abuse has been a long-standing problem for me. Recently, I've also become addicted to drugs. I couldn't quit on my own, not the first time, not even the hundredth time. Unfortunately, changing my life for the better was beyond my power. Based on reviews and advice from a friend who had already gone through a similar journey, I learned about the Istok rehabilitation center. The Istok rehabilitation center has restored me to a normal, active, social, and positive life! It has excellent conditions, knowledgeable staff, and the most professional and qualified addiction specialists and psychologists. Here I learned that alcohol addiction is a terrible disease, but by following certain rules, you can live a full life and never return to this addiction. With the help of this center, I returned to my family and work. Thank you so much for my life!
Hello. I'm Marina, 28 years old, and I live in Kyiv. I've had problems with drug use for a long time. I tried to quit, but all my attempts were unsuccessful. Finally, I decided to seek help, and I received genuine, professional, high-quality help, with care and support at the Istok Rehabilitation Center. This center is a godsend for alcohol and drug addicts. Excellent living conditions, qualified staff, and psychologists specializing in addiction. I was told that addiction is incurable, but it's possible to live happily with it; you just need to adopt new principles. Thanks to this center, I overcame all my problems. This is the center you should trust...
The consultation is free and anonymous. It is usually the family who call first rather than the person with the addiction — that is normal, and most recovery stories begin exactly there.
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