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, The Times, New York Post, The Guardian.

Picture of two women talking in addiction treatment at Smarmore Castle Private Rehab Clinic in Ireland

How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?

How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System? Blood, Breath, Hair, Urine The process of alcohol metabolism is a complex one. There is no straightforward answer to how long alcohol stays in your system. As a guideline, you may have heard that a person processes about 1 unit of alcohol per hour. For a guesstimate, […]

How to Deal With an Alcoholic Parent

Dealing with an alcoholic family member is always a challenge, but it is even more so when that person is a parent. The issues of having a mother or father with alcoholism are way more far-reaching than one would think. If you’re still underage and living with your parents, you could perhaps ignore the problem […]

Drug Induced Psychosis: What is it and How to Help

When people think of psychosis, they often think of someone acting “crazy” or “psychotic”. Psychosis is more than that, and is classified as a legitimate mental disorder. Although there are many types of psychosis, this article focuses on drug-induced psychosis caused by substance misuse. Defining Drug-Induced Psychosis Drug-induced psychosis is also known as substance-induced psychotic […]

Do you Suffer From Depression After Giving up Alcohol?

Does Giving up Alcohol Make You Depressed? Depression and alcohol misuse are interconnected in many ways. For some, depression causes alcoholism; for others, it comes from drinking. And for some people, depression hits after giving up alcohol. You might be asking then, what’s the point of becoming sober if you’re only going to feel worse? […]

What are the Emotional Effects of Alcohol?

Many of us drink to feel happy or relaxed or to mask or avoid our feelings. Alcohol is a powerful drug that initially can seem like a one-stop solution to any situation. It can even act beneficially if used responsibly. However, when a person starts to abuse alcohol, the emotional effects it produces can turn […]

Differences Between Binge Drinking and Alcoholism

Binge Drinking Vs Alcoholism Many of us have engaged in heavy drinking or know someone who enjoys an occasional binge-drinking session with their friends. There are many categories of alcohol use, ranging from light/moderate drinking to alcohol dependencies. While binge drinking can be a sign of alcoholism, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a person has […]

What Are the Benefits of Rehab?

Whether one has an alcohol, drug, or behavioural addiction, the benefits of rehab can help anyone into a successful and lasting recovery. Ireland offers a variety of treatment options for addiction, ranging from self-help programmes to luxury residential rehabs. Although rehab is not the only option for addiction treatment, depending on the person, it may […]

Am I Married to a Functioning Alcoholic?

A functioning alcoholic (sometimes called a functional alcoholic) is not always easy to spot. Unlike most alcoholics, functioning alcoholics do not exhibit obvious symptoms of alcoholism. They also manage to be generally competent in all or most aspects of their lives, therefore avoiding the stereotypical image of alcoholism. They are often middle-aged, successful, and have a […]

What is Outpatient Treatment for Alcoholism Like?

Outpatient vs Inpatient for Alcoholism There are many types of approaches to treatment for addiction, which range from self-help to outpatient to inpatient programmes. Each has its benefits and downsides. Inpatient treatment, and the rarer intensive outpatient treatment programmes, are the most effective forms of treatment. But there are a number of reasons that outpatient […]

Why Can’t Alcoholics Stop Before They Lose Everything?

Alcoholism is a chronic illness that takes over the mind, and sometimes the body as well. It is extremely tough to control one’s behaviour with any addiction and alcoholics find it harder to stop than most. Sometimes, an alcoholic has to lose everything before they decide to get help. Sometimes, even hitting rock bottom is […]

How Does Long-term Alcohol Misuse Affect the Brain?

For many people, alcohol is a part of their regular life, be it drinks with dinner or catching up with friends over a Friday night cocktail. In low to moderate amounts, alcohol has its benefits – it makes people more happy, more social, and more relaxed. It is also believed that responsible drinking carries […]

Teenage Substance Misuse

Ireland has one of the highest rates of underage binge-drinking in Europe, ranked fifth, and drug use among young people has been steadily rising. Binge-drinking is the most harmful type of drinking, and it doesn’t take much to get there – for young women, it means four or more drinks in one sitting, and for […]