Victoria McCann BA, MSc

Victoria McCann BA, MSc

Communications Director & Editorial Lead

Victoria McCann, BA, MSc, is Communications Director & Editorial Lead at Castle Craig and a member of the clinic’s founding family. With over a decade of experience in addiction treatment communications, she leads the creation of clear, compassionate content that supports patients, families, and healthcare professionals. Victoria is committed to reducing stigma around addiction and mental health, and brings strategic insight and lived sector knowledge to her work. She regularly attends and organises addiction treatment conferences across the UK and Europe, promoting high standards of care and best practice in the field. Victoria also works with the media to raise awareness and share informed perspectives on addiction and recovery. The Herald, The Times, BBC, STV, New York Post, The Guardian.

Amphetamines Withdrawal Symptoms

During detox from amphetamines, users can experience a variety of withdrawal symptoms. These could be mild or severe, and their duration depends on a number of factors.If you, or someone you know, is seeking help for amphetamine addiction, contact us immediately. Some of these symptoms disappear after the last traces of the drug have left […]

Why Abstinence is Key for Recovery

Abstinence is The Only Way to Treat Addiction At Smarmore Castle, our programme helps patients to achieve long-term sobriety from drugs or alcohol. We believe that abstinence is the only way for a person to truly recover from addiction. It is very unlikely that after being addicted, the person will be able to use drugs […]

How to Cope With the Stigma of Addiction

Stigma is one of the hardest things people who suffer from alcohol or drug misuse have to deal with. Many people hold a negative, discriminatory attitude towards people with addiction issues. Among people suffering from any type of mental health problems, 9 out of 10 say they have experienced stigma. Some even claim that experiencing […]

How to Talk to Someone With Alcoholism or Drug Addiction

Reaching Out to an Addicted Person Having someone close to you who abuses drugs or alcohol is very difficult. People are often unsure of the right approach to take, so in some cases may simply ignore the problem, hoping the individual will get better by themselves. In other cases, people are scared to broach the […]

Support for Coping With Addiction

If you think that you are addicted to alcohol or drugs, or know someone who is, these pages will help you to cope with the situation. At some point in their lives, many people will have a family member, partner, friend, colleague or acquaintance who is suffering from drug or alcohol addiction. In these situations […]

Support for Codependency and Drug Use

Codependency within relationships describes a relationship where one member of the partnership derives their sense of self-worth, identity and well-being from the approval and validation of the other. In cases of addiction, the codependent member of the couple continues to seek validation from the addicted person, despite their increasingly disordered life. They may become involved […]

Alcohol and Drug Addiction in the Military

Alcohol Misuse Among Soldiers Alcohol misuse is prevalent within the British military, with soldiers consuming alcohol at higher rates than civilians. This pattern of drinking can inflict many negative effects on soldiers, including fighting or other injury from risky, alcohol-fuelled behaviour; alcohol poisoning; hangovers and addiction. A member of the army who suffers from addiction […]

Different Types of Drugs

Drugs, both legal and illegal, are defined as any substance that, when consumed, can cause change to the human body and its functions. These changes can be physical or psychological. Whether legal or illegal, the use of all drugs can cause a person to develop an addition. The word “drug” partially originates from the 14th-century […]

Do I Have an Addiction – Questionnaire

Ireland is renowned for its enjoyment of alcohol, and most social events revolve around drinking. Many people drink over the recommended guidelines on a regular basis. In this environment, it can sometimes be difficult to judge whether you are simply a heavy drinker, or whether you meet the criteria for alcohol dependency.   Although still […]

Do I Have Alcoholism?

Do I Have An Addiction to Alcohol? Ireland is renowned for its enjoyment of alcohol, and most social events revolve around drinking. While the majority of people enjoy a sociable drink without problem, many people drink over the recommended guidelines on a regular basis. In this environment, it can sometimes be difficult to judge whether […]

Helping Someone with an Alcohol or Drug Problem

If somebody close to you has a problem with addiction you might be wondering if there is anything you can do to help them. Understandably you may be worried that you will say the wrong thing, make the person angry or defensive, and risk the relationship deteriorating further. Early recognition and the support of family […]

Signs of Alcohol and Drug Addiction

It is vital to address problems of addiction as soon as possible to ensure the best chance for recovery. This means it is important to be able to recognise the early signs of addiction in others, so you can offer help immediately. Around 50% of people with addiction problems are left untreated. One way to […]