Castle Craig Hospital

Castle Craig does not live up to its reputation as a favorable hospital/ rehab. It is advisable to avoid this facility due to its inflated prices and exaggerated acclaim. The staff exhibits a lack of enthusiasm and empathy, stemming from a top-down culture that is both biased and conceited. The institution appears more focused on self-promotion than the genuine care and recovery of its residents.

If you're grappling with alcohol-related issues, seeking assistance from Castle Craig may exacerbate your problems. Their admission that their methods are ineffective and the expectation of relapses underscores a fundamental flaw. The emphasis on academic pursuits seems to overshadow genuine concern for individuals and their healing, portraying an approach more interested in intellectual self-gratification than practical and meaningful assistance.

Despite putting forth my best effort, I perceived a lack of reciprocal commitment and patience from the staff ( except for Trisha who was my therapist and I must say I got a lot out of our sessions), who appeared to be disinterested in my well-being. Regrettably, I cannot genuinely endorse this place. My experience was marked by confusion, frustration, and annoyance, leaving me feeling worse upon departure than when I initially arrived.
In my view, the facility seems to be understaffed considering the number of residents.

The food quality at this facility is entirely unacceptable. As someone who follows a Muslim/Jewish vegetarian diet, abstaining from pork is a crucial dietary requirement. Despite clearly documenting this information in my file, which I personally confirmed, I was inadvertently served pork on two separate occasions. If you're a vegetarian considering this place, brace yourself for a diet primarily consisting of salads – and not the diverse kind. Expect to be limited to basic greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers, with olive oil as the only dressing option.
Additionally, obtaining alternative milk options like oat or almond milk was surprisingly challenging, especially given the high cost associated with this facility. It is disheartening that such basic dietary preferences and requirements were not adequately addressed.

I entered Castle Craig seeking help for alcohol-related issues, having previously undergone rehabilitation six years earlier. I maintained sobriety for an extended period until experiencing a relapse years later. Prior to admission, I was specifically instructed to have my home psychiatrist provide a prescription for all my medications and a summary of my long-term treatment under his care. Notably, I do not have any substance abuse problems with benzodiazepines or antidepressants.
During a Zoom session with the head psychiatrist before my arrival, I received assurance that none of my prescriptions would be altered or discontinued as long as Castle Craig received the necessary documentation from my home psychiatrist. However, on the first day at Castle Craig, I encountered a significant surprise – all of my medications, including my antidepressants, were confiscated. Despite my resistance, I was only allowed half the usual dose of one antidepressant, and my other antidepressant and benzodiazepines were completely withdrawn. This contradicted the explicit assurances provided during my pre-admission Zoom meeting.

This unexpected turn of events felt like a calculated move to exploit financial gains, creating a stark contrast to the promises made by the lead psychiatrist over Zoom. Such deceptive practices are not only unprofessional but also pose a serious threat to my mental health. Castle Craig employs inexpensive, biased, and neglectful doctors who do not adhere to any standards. They refuse to clarify the diagnosis or its implications.

Among the nursing staff, there were 3-4 exceptionally kind nurses, but unfortunately, the remainder displayed arrogance, restlessness, and a distinct lack of interest in their duties. One individual, Guy, a male nurse who appears to be working well beyond retirement age, stood out in my experience. He often spent extended periods sitting and playing his guitar in the nurses' office, and he seemed irritated whenever approached for medication or to address a query.
What troubled me more was his disregard for hygiene when dispensing my medications. He failed to use gloves every time, and I even witnessed him putting his finger in his mouth before proceeding to dispense my meds without gloves. In a separate incident, he handed me someone else's medication, which I almost took. It only became apparent that they weren't mine when he asked about my nasal spray usage. When I clarified that I didn't use nasal spray and identified myself as Sara, he hurriedly retrieved the wrong meds, took an additional 10 minutes to rectify the mistake, causing further frustration.
Despite the simplicity of having all my meds in one box, unlike other nurses who efficiently handle the task in 2 minutes, Guy consistently took 10-15 minutes each time, adding to the overall dissatisfaction with the nursing care.

The so-called "work" and "lectures" at Castle Craig are laughable; the lectures typically last a mere 25-30 minutes. They involve the lecturer playing a YouTube video and then leaving the room, only to return five minutes before the end of the video and the class. Frequently, they resort to playing a DVD, and if it happens to malfunction, their response is a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders. All AA/CA meetings take place over Zoom, and if technical issues arise, that entire program is discarded as well.The lone exception is a daily meeting, where participants are divided into smaller groups of 5-8 people to engage in meaningful discussions about feelings, provide feedback, and more. These sessions, facilitated by one of the therapists, are the only ones I found to be genuinely beneficial.

Despite the substantial amount I paid to stay at Castle Craig, it appears they cut corners even on the heating within the Castle. The indoor temperature hovered around 12 degrees Celsius, as verified on the monitor. The heaters they provide are woefully inadequate; their size is insufficient to warm even a small room, let alone a sizable, old library with outdated doors and windows that fail to keep the cold at bay.

The lodging was passable, and my individual room and bathroom maintained a warm temperature, but being in a spacious single room with two large heaters likely contributed to that. However, the housekeeping left much to be desired. Over the course of my 4-week stay at the castle, my floors were never vacuumed, and my desks were never wiped down. They didn't handle the changing of sheets or laundry; fresh towels were provided twice a week, and fresh sheets were provided only once a week. This became problematic during my detox, as my sheets would become soaked from sweating, and I was informed that I'd have to wait until the following week to change them myself, as per the Castle Craig policy—similar to the response I received for most inquiries. Don't anticipate anyone handling your bedding or changing your sheets. They simply throw fresh ones on your bed for you to manage on your own.

Personal laundry (clothing) required purchasing a £4 token and trekking to a separate building, where the machine had the unfortunate tendency to shrink clothes. This added inconvenience made the laundry process less than satisfactory.

My orientation took place a whopping 2 and a half weeks into my stay at the castle, which, in my opinion, was a complete joke. It seemed like they might have forgotten I was a patient—quite amusing, really. They assigned a "buddy" (another inmate) to give me a tour. Given the high cost of this rehab, I believe every patient should undergo a comprehensive orientation led by a castle staff member. This session should cover all the rules, familiarize patients with the layout, and provide a thorough understanding of the property's ins and outs. I suspect they opt for "buddies" to avoid utilizing the valuable time of staff members and, ultimately, to increase profits. Having fewer employees translates to more money in the owners' pockets.

I use a device called IQOS, a tobacco heating device. The cigarette sticks I used were purchased at the airport Duty Free, sealed, and stamped. However, Castle Craig confiscated my IQOS, citing a policy against "vapes," despite the fact that IQOS is not a vape, as explicitly stated on the IQOS website. I brought this to the attention of the head therapist, but it seemed she didn't bother investigating.

Upon reading the rules, I noted that snus tobacco, loose tobacco, and vapes are prohibited. Yet, my device didn't fall into any of these categories. To my dismay, I discovered another patient with snus, regularly using it in classes and in front of nurses, without any objection. When I raised this issue with the lead therapist, she feigned confusion and promised to follow up. Days later, she informed me that the other patient was allowed to use the snus due to its “cultural significance” in Sweden, despite the fact that he was Norwegian. This unequal and discriminatory treatment raises concerns, especially when considering the potential cultural significance of other items, such as a shisha pipe to myself. Would she have allowed me to bring a shisha pipe to set up and smoke in the smoking area? I highly doubt it!

Adding to the irony, a week before my departure, I discovered that an American patient had snus in his possession, and it was not confiscated. I'm left pondering the "cultural significance" that snus supposedly holds in America. It appears that Castle Craig applies different rules for each individual—quite a noteworthy observation.

To add to the frustration, I learned that the ban on vapes and electronic devices at Castle Craig is driven by concerns about increased insurance costs, as conveyed to me directly by an employee. This decision appears to reflect a penny-pinching approach by the owners, revealing a level of discrimination that goes beyond reasonable standards.

Upon my discharge, I received a discharge form that was also sent to my home GP and Psychiatrist via email. I didn't review the letter until after leaving Castle Craig and returning home, only to discover that they had, in addition to alcohol abuse issues, included benzodiazepine addiction in my record. I want to emphasize that I have never had an addiction to benzodiazepines or anti-depressants, and it is not what I sought treatment for. My primary concern is alcohol abuse, and that is the extent of my admission. I reached out to Castle Craig three days ago to urgently address this error via email. As expected, there has been no response thus far.

The Castle Craig hospital experience was the worst in my life; even my dogs receive better treatment at the vet, despite the substantial amount of money I paid for the services. The staff was consistently rude, requiring me to ask for assistance or information at least 10 times. They also made mistakes with my medication and attempted to overcharge me for it. Additionally, the nurses were aggressive when I had questions, creating an overall unpleasant environment. I would never return to Castle Craig if God forbid I were to relapse. More...

Great treatment in castle craig hospital ..i have been there from 21 of august till 12 of november and helpt me allot .The great therapy's and 1 on 1 ones with your personal therapist . I,m still clean and sober nowdays starting a study for being a counselor myself got the best present from recovery that i have a beatyfull son now and a jpb in a recovery centre a new house new healthy friends and can talk about my emotions now and most impirtant i live myself again. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

In my experience of Castle Craig Hospital, I found the care provided by nursing, medical and therapy staff to be very well received. They are very friendly and knowledgeable. The CEO is readily accessible, as are the other senior clinical and administration staff. The treatment outcomes are excellent as is the patient satisfaction levels. The Castle is actually a large country manor house set in extensive beautiful grounds providing good views and excellent walks in this sheltered country facility. The grounds are very well kept by a team of grounds and maintenance staff and there is no problem getting up the drive in winter as they anticipate inclement weather and treat the road surface accordingly. To add to the interest and therapeutic value of the surroundings is the presence of various friendly domesticated animals including pigs, horses, sheep and alpacas. The accommodation I have seen is comfortable and homely and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. I have no hesitation in recommending this treatment centre and it is well respected by the locals and business people in Peebles and West Linton. The food is good and varied and the dining rooms are very pleasant and clean with patient artwork adorning the walls throughout the buildings. There is also an excellent variety of information leaflets to supplement the very professional and informative website. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

The way the staff helped me with my treatment. It's not only my addiction, but also what can lead to addiction/ relapse, that helped me in my recovery. Still recovering day by day. And: Succes is in your own hands with help of the fellowship. And: Remember: Once an addict, always an addict. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

UPDATE - 14 August 2019After speaking with one of the directors of Castle Craig, and after receiving assurances that the points I raised would be addressed, I am now prepared to raise my rating to four stars. I understand that the head therapist has been replaced and that a new team has been put in place which will endeavour to restore standards of treatment methods to previous levels. I expect outcomes to improve and I will informally consult with members of staff from all levels in approximately one month to ascertain progress. I will then submit a further review. JULY 2019At a recent AA meeting I was asked if I would recommend Castle Craig Hospital as a rehabilitation centre. My honest answer was – no, not now. Although, at 100 days sober I am a shining example of the short term success of the Castle Craig programme I have serious misgivings about the robustness of the therapeutic process as currently practised.I have no fault with the staff – from the ladies who kept the place clean to the founder members themselves all staff were, with few exceptions, caring, committed, and compassionate in their goal which is to help patients and their families along the road to abstinence and recovery.I see the problems as being symptomatic of financial constraints. There are not enough staff to organise the patients leisure time to keep them occupied and to help them appreciate their beautiful surroundings. A lot of the patients only rarely ventured outwit the immediate Castle grounds. Gym sessions were short and limited by health and safety concerns – the gym was inaccessible for large parts of the day, although there were basic facilities available at all times, albeit outdoors. Walks outwith the castle grounds were limited to a small number of patients due to limited cover from trained staff – again a health and safety issue.The boredom which this inactivity festered led to many patients wasting several hours playing simple board games and chatting about anything apart from their addiction, (reality TV shows were a favourite topic!) Those that wanted to use their free time to access the internet were severely hampered by patients’ use of Facebook and of Amazon and other shopping sites. Every day was like Christmas for some patients as their designer clothes arrived – hardly conducive to a commitment to therapy. Several patients had access to their mobile phones due to lax recording procedures. I myself had possession of my tablet for the last week and was able to take photos of fellow patients (only with their permission) I could easily have published these photos on platforms such as Facebook which would have totally blown the anonymity aspect of CC treatment.Rules were either non existent or were not imposed. Attendance at morning meditation was mandatory but no sanctions were applied against persistent absentees who couldn’t be bothered getting out of bed. This caused resentment among those patients who made the effort – myself included. Some patients behaved like naughty schoolchildren in lectures / presentations – some therapists dealt with such behaviour appropriately – others were out of their depth, possibly due to being “thrown in at the deep end” too early in their training – financial?Therapy sessions were mostly excellent, although I was recorded in notes as being “enraged” throughout one session – I hope this was meant to be “engaged!” Some of the material was a bit dated - again I question if this is due to financial considerations.When I left the Castle I was led to believe that my therapist would be interested in my progress and would keep in touch – this proved to not be the case.In summary, I am disappointed that I cannot recommend Castle Craig as a rehabilitation centre. If the management start treating their patients as addicts who are paying customers and not the other way round then I am sure that standards, and consequently, success rates will improve.KEN More...

Reviewed on Google Maps