Answers to what matters most to you

Yes. Oxygen's main branch in Damanhour holds its final core licenses from three bodies: the Medical Syndicate in Damanhour; the Regional Council for Mental Health (2) in Alexandria, whose area covers Beheira; and the Private Treatment Department of the Damanhour Health Directorate. These licenses include, or were preceded by, environmental, waste and civil-defense permits. The center has been open since November 2018.

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Our main branch, Oxygen, is at the end of El-Nasr Road, past the new courthouse, Damanhour, Beheira. Our second branch, Oxygen Gold, is at Km 25, Alexandria–Marsa Matrouh coastal road, and opens on 1 January 2027.

Address and map

Dr. Sherif Essam and Dr. Abdelsalam Abu Zamel see patients for outpatient doctor appointments. Both are consultants in neuropsychiatry and addiction treatment.

Our team brings together consultants and doctors with more than 15 years of experience in psychiatry and addiction treatment, including doctors who supervise inpatients around the clock, together with male and female psychologists, social workers and male nurses.

Our main branch in Damanhour can receive them, but the branch equipped to welcome Arab and international patients, with premium hotel-style service, is Oxygen Gold in Alexandria. It opens on 1 January 2027 and welcomes Egyptian patients too. Our teams at both branches speak Arabic only.

Arabic only, at both branches.

Yes. You or your family can visit the center and get to know it before deciding. For any question, call us any time on +20 101 687 0711.

Oxygen in Damanhour offers eight core services. Five are visits after which you go home: doctor appointments, therapy sessions, behavior modification sessions, drug tests and rehabilitation through outpatient sessions and follow-up. Three involve staying at the center: detox, mental health treatment and rehabilitation.

Service details

The center specializes in treating addiction to drugs and alcohol and the misuse of medicines, and it treats all types of mental illness, for people aged 15 and over.

Yes. At an outpatient doctor appointment, the doctor sees you and writes you a prescription, and you take the treatment at home. Therapy sessions and behavior modification sessions work the same way: you come for the session and then go home.

Outpatient doctor appointments

Yes. Detox at Oxygen covers addiction and dual diagnosis, meaning addiction together with a mental illness; it involves staying at the center and is for males only. We also run a dual diagnosis program.

Detox

A doctor appointment is with a doctor, who writes you a prescription so you can take your treatment at home. A therapy session is with a male or female psychologist. If you're not sure which one suits you, call us any time on +20 101 687 0711.

They are sessions that focus on changing a specific behavior, such as frequent anger, harmful habits or difficulty sticking to commitments, with a plan in small steps and follow-up from one session to the next. The type of session depends on each patient's medical, psychological and behavioral condition. They are for inpatients, and for people who want to come in only for their sessions and then leave.

Behavior modification sessions

We use individual and group sessions, and our treatment programs include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), a 12-step program based on the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) approach (the center is not affiliated with the fellowship), the Matrix Model program for addiction treatment, a dual diagnosis program, therapeutic communities, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention and family therapy.

No. Rehabilitation happens in one of two ways: an inpatient stay, which is for males only, or outpatient sessions and follow-up, which are open to men and women aged 15 and over.

Rehabilitation through outpatient sessions and follow-up

We see people aged 15 and over for treatment, and anyone under 18 needs a parent's or guardian's consent; we don't treat children. Drug tests, however, can be done for under-15s too. Inpatient stays at both branches, Oxygen and Oxygen Gold, are for males only, aged 15 and over.

Yes. Women are welcome for doctor appointments, therapy sessions, behavior modification sessions, drug tests and rehabilitation through outpatient sessions and follow-up. Our team includes female psychologists whom women can see. Inpatient stays at both branches, Oxygen and Oxygen Gold, are for males only, aged 15 and over.

Yes. Pregnant and breastfeeding women can come for doctor appointments or sessions.

Yes. We see older adults over 60, provided they don't have a serious physical illness.

Yes. Appointments and sessions can take place remotely or at home, as long as you call us beforehand on +20 101 687 0711 to arrange it.

Yes. Drug tests are open to anyone, men and women alike, including under-15s. You can have the test done at the center, or buy a test from the center without having it done there, for yourself or for someone else.

Drug testing

The result is ready within minutes, and we give you a written result if you ask for one. If you need the test for an employer or a driving license, first ask them which places' results they accept.

Yes. Patients can get a medical report, as well as a certificate stating how long they stayed at the center.

Call us any time on +20 101 687 0711, or message us on WhatsApp on the same number. You can book a doctor appointment, a therapy session, a behavior modification session or a drug test.

Contact details

The center is open 24 hours. A doctor appointment needs booking in advance: call us on +20 101 687 0711 to book it and find out the day and time.

If you can, bring any recent test results, the names of the medicines you take, and any papers or medical information about your condition. This helps the doctor a lot to understand your current situation and your medical history, whether you'll go home after the appointment or stay at the center.

No. You can book an appointment directly by calling us on +20 101 687 0711.

Payment is in cash only, and there are no instalments. We don't currently work with health insurance or employer insurance. To find out the cost, call us on +20 101 687 0711.

Oxygen, Damanhour: mobile and WhatsApp +20 101 687 0711, landline +20 45 320 0011. Oxygen Gold, Alexandria: mobile and WhatsApp +20 107 034 7307. Emergencies and complaints for both branches, by call or WhatsApp, 24 hours: +20 100 006 6752. Email: oxygen.center.eg@gmail.com.

In an emergency, call an ambulance right away: 123 in Egypt, or your country's emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency department. After that, or alongside it, the center's emergencies and complaints line, +20 100 006 6752, is available 24 hours by call and WhatsApp for advice; it does not replace the ambulance.

Emergency numbers in Arab countries

Contact our emergencies and complaints line, +20 100 006 6752, by call or WhatsApp. It is available 24 hours and serves both branches, Oxygen and Oxygen Gold.

Yes. Oxygen in Damanhour offers inpatient stays for males aged 15 and over, for detox, mental health treatment and rehabilitation, with medical and nursing supervision around the clock and separate units by type of case. A drug test is the first, mandatory step for everyone who stays with us. Inpatient stays at both branches, Oxygen and Oxygen Gold, are for males only, aged 15 and over. Women are welcome for all the services that don't involve a stay. Rehabilitation is also possible without a stay, through outpatient sessions and follow-up.

A stay starts from one week and can extend to several months; it varies from one patient to another depending on many factors.

Yes. Rooms are air-conditioned at both branches. Oxygen in Damanhour has all types of accommodation: single, double and triple rooms and larger, all air-conditioned. Oxygen Gold has private suites alongside standard rooms, single rooms are available, and the rooms are air-conditioned. It also has hotel-style rooms overlooking the sea.

The patient brings clothes for home, underwear, a towel, slippers and his national ID card. If a first-degree relative comes with him, the relative brings his or her ID card too. If the patient takes medicines for any condition he is being treated for, he must bring them on admission day, so the doctor can review them and he can take them from day one and his condition doesn't get worse.

Mobile phones, money, papers, any personal belongings other than the clothes and items requested, and anything sharp, metal, glass or flammable are strictly not allowed.

Yes. The family can bring food for the patient once he has been admitted.

Phones are not allowed at all in the early stages of treatment. They are allowed in the later stages, depending on the patient's progress and response to treatment.

Yes. His guardian or the person responsible for him can visit, but not in the early stages of treatment. The treating doctor and the treatment team decide when visits can start, based on his condition, and the center sets visiting times for each patient.

Yes. Smoking cigarettes is allowed during the stay.

The day differs from one unit to another. The center has sports and recreational activities, and a place for prayer.

Someone aged 18 or over who came in voluntarily has the right to ask to leave at any time, unless the psychiatrist judges that leaving would put him or others in serious danger, or that he cannot look after himself; he then stays for a short period set by law, and his stay may become one without his consent if the legal conditions are met. For patients under 18, a parent or guardian can ask for them to leave at any time, on the same condition. For someone admitted without his consent, the responsible psychiatrist decides when he leaves, following the procedures set by law.

We follow up with the patient and his family after he leaves. He can come to the center at any time for support and guidance, or call us on our numbers. If a relapse happens, he can come back to the center for treatment.

We offer guidance and awareness sessions for the patient's family, whether he is staying at the center or being treated without a stay, and family therapy is one of our programs. If your relative refuses to come, you can come on your own first; this happens a lot.

You can come on your own first; this happens a lot. Admission without the patient's consent is governed by Egypt's Mental Patient Care Law: it can only happen with a psychiatrist's approval and under conditions set by law. In urgent cases where the patient's condition is an immediate danger to his life or safety or to others, and the legal conditions for admission without consent are met, the law allows a specialist doctor from the center to examine him and bring him in for treatment, at the written request of a relative up to the second degree, with the Regional Council for Mental Health notified within 24 hours. Call us on +20 101 687 0711 and we'll explain what suits your relative's situation.

The family hears about his progress from the treating doctor and the treatment team. If the patient was admitted without his consent, the doctor always keeps his family informed. If he came in voluntarily, the doctor informs them only with his consent.

Only the medical team involved in your care sees information about your condition, and it is not shared with anyone outside the center without your consent or where the law requires it. The center does not tell the police, your employer or your school that you are being treated, except where the law requires it.

Privacy policy

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Yes. NIDA states that addiction is treatable, and MedlinePlus describes it as a chronic brain disease that drives a compulsive search for the substance despite the harm. A relapse means the treatment plan needs reviewing or adjusting, not that the person has failed or is beyond hope.

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Addiction treatment has four stages, one after another: a full medical and psychiatric assessment, medically supervised detox, rehabilitation and psychotherapy with the family, and then aftercare and relapse prevention. The journey is not measured by the days of detox alone: NIDA states that most people need at least three months in treatment to significantly reduce or stop their use, and that the best outcomes are linked to longer periods.

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No. Detox is only one stage of treatment, and NIDA states that stopping there without rehabilitation and follow-up usually leads back to drug use. After detox comes rehabilitation and psychotherapy with the family, and then aftercare and relapse prevention.

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Sometimes, but only after a medical assessment. If the expected withdrawal is mild, there are no warning signs, a trusted person stays with them and they see the doctor regularly, outpatient treatment may be enough. With alcohol, sedatives or pregabalin, or previous seizures, stopping without medical supervision can be dangerous.

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Most withdrawal is unpleasant but not life-threatening. However, withdrawal from alcohol, sedatives, pregabalin and gabapentin can cause seizures or dangerous confusion, so it needs medical supervision. Opioid withdrawal is painful and can cause dehydration, and the biggest danger afterward is overdose if the person goes back to using.

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They usually start within 24 to 48 hours of stopping, intensify around day three and mostly ease within about two weeks, according to Cleveland Clinic. Some symptoms, especially disturbed sleep and mood swings, can last three weeks or more in people whose use was heavy and long-term, and there is no fixed number that fits everyone.

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It is addictive in the medical sense. The WHO describes a cannabis dependence syndrome, marked by a loss of control over use, in people who use cannabis regularly over a long period, and the CDC (2024) estimates that about 3 in 10 people who use cannabis have cannabis use disorder. Some people quitting hashish easily does not mean dependence does not exist.

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There is a link, but it is not simple: NIDA notes that cannabis can trigger a temporary psychotic episode in some people, and that some evidence links it to an earlier onset of psychosis, including schizophrenia, in people with genetic risk factors. Not everyone who uses cannabis develops psychosis, but anyone with a family history of a psychotic illness is at higher risk.

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Yes. The active substance in hashish only partly activates brain receptors, while synthetic cannabinoids such as strox and voodoo activate the same receptor fully and more strongly, raising the chances of hallucinations, psychosis, seizures and heart problems. On top of that, their make-up is unknown and keeps changing.

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Lyrica is a licensed medicine with genuine medical uses, but it can cause dependence and addiction when misused, which is why several countries control it, including Egypt since 2019. The difference lies in how it is used: on prescription with a doctor's follow-up, or outside that.

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It is a prescription painkiller, but it belongs to the opioid painkillers, and medical references note that it can be habit forming and addictive, especially with long-term use or use outside a doctor's supervision. When it is used without a prescription and for non-medical purposes, it becomes non-medical use of a substance that can cause addiction.

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No. There is still no FDA-approved medication for stimulant addiction, and no medicine has been shown to work for amphetamine withdrawal itself. A doctor may prescribe medicines for insomnia, depression or psychosis, but the foundation of treatment is behavioral and psychological therapy and follow-up.

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No. Relapse rates in substance use disorders are between 40% and 60% according to NIDA, similar to chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure. A relapse is a signal to resume or adjust treatment, so contact the treatment team early.

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Full compulsion is a last, limited option, mainly when life is at risk or the person can no longer judge things, and a psychiatrist assesses it under laws that differ by country. Usually it is better to change how you deal with him, make one specific request and train the family in communication; in research, trained family approaches got more people who refused into treatment.

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No. Medical sources do mention red eyes and very large or very small pupils, but late nights, allergies, crying, eye drops and some medicines cause them too. What calls for action is several behavioral and physical changes together, lasting weeks, and a medical assessment settles it.

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Depression is a medically recognized mental disorder, and the World Health Organization describes it as a common mental disorder. It develops from an interplay of biological, psychological and social factors; it is not a choice or a weakness of character or faith, and it has effective treatment whether it is mild, moderate or severe.

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Sadness is a normal feeling linked to a cause; it comes in waves, eases with time, and you can still enjoy some things. Depression is a low mood or loss of pleasure that lasts most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks; it disrupts sleep, appetite, concentration and your ability to get through the day, and often comes with a sense of worthlessness.

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Stopping antidepressants suddenly can cause discontinuation symptoms such as headaches, nausea, dizziness and sleep problems, but these symptoms do not mean the medicine is addictive. They are, however, reason enough not to stop suddenly: the NHS explains that coming off them is done gradually, following a plan agreed with your doctor, over weeks or months.

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Not necessarily. Many people come off their medication gradually after the consolidation period and stay well, but people who have had several episodes, or who have a strong family history of depression, may be advised to have longer preventive treatment, as the American Psychiatric Association notes. The decision is reviewed regularly with your doctor; it is not a final verdict on day one.

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For mild depression, the World Health Organization says antidepressants are not needed and that psychological treatment is the first option. For moderate and severe depression, a doctor may combine therapy sessions with medication, and the NHS notes that combining CBT with an antidepressant often works better than either one alone. The doctor decides after a full assessment.

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A panic attack is very frightening but not dangerous in itself; the NHS says panic attacks do not cause physical harm, and feeling that you are dying is a symptom of the attack. Still, if it is your first attack, or chest pain is severe or spreads to your arm or jaw, get a medical assessment straight away rather than judging your heart yourself.

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Yes. The NHS lists anxiety and panic attacks among the causes of chest pain, along with a racing heart, sweating and dizziness. But don't diagnose yourself: sudden chest pain that won't go away, or that spreads to your arm, jaw or back, or comes with sweating, nausea or shortness of breath, means calling an ambulance right away (123 in Egypt, or your local emergency number).

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Anxiety disorders have highly effective treatments, as the WHO stresses, and with the right treatment and support many people control their anxiety and improve their quality of life. But no one can promise a certain outcome or timeline, because therapy and medication take time to work; what matters is that improvement is very possible.

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No. OCD is separate from schizophrenia and psychosis, and the clearest difference is insight: most people with OCD know or suspect their thoughts are unrealistic or exaggerated, while a person with psychosis fully believes their conviction. Large studies suggest schizophrenia is later diagnosed more often in people with OCD than in the general population, but this is an association, not OCD turning into it, which is why a doctor tracks insight and the course of the condition over time.

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This answer does not give religious rulings, but medically speaking: when the thoughts come back every day, take up more than an hour, push you into endless rituals and disrupt your worship and your life, this is a well-known form of OCD with a diagnosis and effective treatment. Seeking treatment does not conflict with supplication (dua) and turning to God, and many people combine the two and get better.

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No. A person with schizophrenia does not have two personalities; this is a common confusion caused by the name. Schizophrenia affects a person's connection with reality through hallucinations, delusions and disordered thinking, along with symptoms such as withdrawal and loss of motivation.

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Schizophrenia does not usually cause violence. The risk is higher when the illness is untreated or comes with alcohol or drug use, so regular treatment is the best protection for the person and those around them.

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Some are. The FDA explained in 2020 that benzodiazepines can cause physical dependence with regular use for days to weeks, even when taken as prescribed, and can also lead to addiction. They should not be stopped suddenly, as abrupt stopping can cause withdrawal reactions including seizures; the safe route is a gradual tapering plan set by your doctor.

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Mood swings are normal in adolescence, but depression is not a normal part of it. If sadness, irritability or loss of interest lasts two weeks or more and affects school and relationships, it needs an assessment. Without treatment an episode can last months, while most teenagers improve with treatment.

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They may bring temporary relief, but NIDA explains that substances can make mental health symptoms worse both in the moment and in the long run, and a person can end up in a cycle of depression. It is best to treat both together under medical supervision.

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