Addiction, or substance use disorder, is a pattern of using alcohol, drugs or a behaviour such as gambling that continues despite harm, with cravings, loss of control and often withdrawal. It is a health condition, not a moral failing, and it is treatable with a combination of psychiatric care, therapy and support for the people around you. The Mind Faculty offers confidential addiction assessment and treatment at our clinic in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.
Addiction is a way of coping that has stopped working, with alcohol, substances or behaviours. Shame keeps it in the dark, and the dark keeps it going. We work without judgement, meeting you where you are and walking the long road at a pace that lasts.
By the numbers
WHO, 2024
Common signs
- Needing more to get the same effect
- Trying to cut down without success
- Continuing despite the cost
- Strong cravings or preoccupation
- Pulling away from people and routines
- Using to cope with stress or feelings
Signs vary from person to person, you don't need to recognise all of these, or be sure it's addiction, to reach out.
How we can help
Addiction care at The Mind Faculty
Assessment is with a consultant psychiatrist, including a specialist addiction psychiatrist, and it is confidential and without judgement. We look at what you're using, how much and why, your physical and mental health, and what you actually want to change. You don't have to be ready to stop completely to start the conversation.
Treatment is built around your goals and may include medication to manage withdrawal or cravings, therapy to work on the patterns and triggers, and treatment for the anxiety, depression or trauma that so often sit underneath. Recovery is rarely a straight line, and we plan for that rather than pretending otherwise.
We also support families and partners, who carry a great deal in addiction and are often overlooked.
The faculty
Specialists in Addiction
These members of the faculty work with this regularly. Not sure who fits? Tell us a little about what's going on and we'll help you choose.
Questions people ask
About addiction, answered
Is my drinking or drug use a problem?
Ask yourself whether you've tried to cut down and struggled, whether you need more for the same effect, or whether you keep going despite the cost to health, work or relationships. If any of those ring true, an honest assessment can help you see it clearly, with no obligation to commit to anything.
Is addiction treatment confidential?
Yes. What you share with your clinician stays confidential, within the usual professional limits around serious risk to safety. We understand that privacy is often the biggest barrier to asking for help.
Do I have to go to rehab?
Most people we see are treated as outpatients while continuing to live and work as normal. Residential treatment is only recommended where it's genuinely needed, and your psychiatrist will be straightforward with you about that.
Can you help with a family member's addiction?
Yes. We support partners and families with their own wellbeing, with how to respond to a loved one's use, and with how to encourage them into care without ultimatums that don't hold.
If any of this rings true, it's worth a conversation.
Not sure where you fit? That's entirely normal, we'll help you find the right specialist.
Content reviewed by The Mind Faculty clinical team, a faculty of psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur. This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Talk to us about your own situation.