Coding (also known as the
Dovzhenko method) is a catch-all term for various
Russian alternative therapeutic methods used to treat
addictions, in which the therapist attempts to scare patients into abstinence from a substance they are addicted to by convincing them that they will be harmed or killed if they use it again. Each method involves the therapist pretending to insert a "code" into patients' brains that will ostensibly provoke a strong
adverse reaction should it come into contact with the addictive substance. The methods use a combination of theatrics,
hypnosis,
placebos, and
drugs with temporary adverse effects to instil the erroneous beliefs. Therapists may pretend to "code" patients for a fixed length of time, such as five years.