At Castle Craig, we specialise in addiction rehab for women. A part of this is women’s detox. So, we set up Serenity House; our female-only accommodation on our estate, with female-only group therapy sessions, and daily women’s gym sessions. Here, you can request a female therapist and an all-female nursing team during your stay so you feel as safe and comfortable as possible.
At Castle Craig, detox is just the first stage of treatment. A residential programme follows on the same estate, so you don’t have to find your feet again in a new environment.
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Women’s detox – understanding your treatment options
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Why women’s detox is different
Women’s experience of addiction is different from men’s in clinically important ways.
Women can be outnumbered by men by a two to one ratio in addiction treatment services; most of which weren’t designed with women in mind in the first place. The stigma around women’s addiction can feel sharper and more isolating than men typically face, and services intended primarily for men don’t always feel safe.
The way addiction develops in women also differs; Research has found that women are more likely than men to progress from first use to problematic use more quickly, a pattern known as telescoping. Trauma and relationship patterns also show up more often in women’s experience of addiction than in men’s.
Gender-specific detox is a necessary clinical response to these documented differences.
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Alcohol detox for women at Castle Craig
Alcohol withdrawal can be serious for both men and women. Symptoms can escalate quickly, so medical supervision is essential regardless of the level of dependence someone reports. Castle Craig’s detox provides that 24/7 care, which isn’t possible in a community or outpatient setting.
Our nursing team supervises alcohol detox at Castle Craig 24 hours a day, with a Consultant Psychiatrist overseeing care. Women have a private room in Kirkurd House throughout, and we use medication where it’s clinically needed to make alcohol withdrawal safer and more manageable.
A female nurse is available to all women on request during detox for alcohol and all other substances. For further information on the clinical process, you can find out more about alcohol addiction and what treatment involves.
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Drug detox for women at Castle Craig
In 2024–25, it was found that women made up 32% of people in contact with drug addiction and alcohol addiction treatment services in England. Even though this is a significant share of people in treatment, women’s specific needs within drug detox services are often underserved.
Addiction detox for women at Castle Craig covers opioids, benzodiazepines, stimulants, and other prescription medications. We personalise every detox plan around the substances involved, the level of dependence, and each woman’s medical history.
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What happens after women’s detox?
After detox, you move directly into the residential programme. You stay on the same estate, with the same clinical team. Serenity House provides female-only accommodation during every stage of detox and ongoing treatment.
The programme covers alcohol and drug addiction, as well as behavioural addictions including gambling addiction in women. You can find out more about addiction rehab for women and what the full programme involves.
What to expect from women’s detox at Castle Craig
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Your first step: a conversation, not a commitment
Making contact with Castle Craig is just a conversation. Our admissions team will talk you through what women’s detox involves, answer your questions, and help you work out what the next step looks like for you; your wants and your needs.
The assessment is free, confidential, and carries no obligation. If you have private health insurance, our team can help you understand what may be covered. NHS-funded treatment is also available for those who meet the clinical criteria.
You can find out more about NHS-funded addiction rehab at Castle Craig.
When you’re ready, we’re ready to talk you through your options.
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Life in Serenity House
Serenity House is Castle Craig’s female-only accommodation, set within the grounds of the estate, where women stay throughout their residential treatment.
We hold group therapy sessions for women separately from the mixed-gender programme, so the conversations can focus on what women experience and need for recovery. We schedule daily gym sessions for women specifically. You can request a female therapist for your individual sessions.
Castle Craig is a residential setting in rural Scotland, away from the environments and routines associated with use. That distance from familiar environments helps make the early stages of treatment possible.
“During my stay at Castle Craig I was made to feel accepted and safe. It is a beautiful place with very caring staff. For me it was a life changing experience. And helped me so much. I’m looking forward to the future one step at a time.”
If someone in your life needs help with addiction
How to support someone through addiction
If you’re searching this on behalf of someone in your life, you’re probably not sure whether it’s your place to act. Lots of friends and family members contact Castle Craig, and knowing you’re not the only person who’s felt this way can help you feel less isolated.
Our admissions team can speak to you directly, explain what treatment involves, and guide you through what the process looks like. You don’t need to have the conversation with the person in your life before you call us.
If they decide to enter treatment at Castle Craig, family therapy is part of our treatment programme. The people around the person in treatment are affected too, and recovery is stronger when everyone is part of it.
In some locations, women can be outnumbered by men two to one in addiction treatment services
Source: https://justiceinnovation.org/sites/default/files/media/document/2023/CJI_WOMENS-DRUG-&-ALCOHOL-TREATMENT_13-9-23_DIGITAL_0.pdf
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Frequently asked questions about women’s detox
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What are the benefits of a women-only detox programme?
Women’s addiction detox addresses the specific clinical and psychological factors that affect how addiction develops in women. In gender-specific group therapy, the conversations are directly relevant. The stigma women face around addiction, and the relationship patterns that often feed into it, can be explored among people who understand that context.
Peer support from other women in treatment has its own clinical value. Hormonal factors can affect how withdrawal presents and how medication is managed. A female-only environment also reduces anxiety for women who have had difficult experiences with men.
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How long does women’s detox take at Castle Craig?
Detox typically takes between seven to ten days, though this varies depending on the substance involved, the level of dependence, and each woman’s individual response. Some women will need a shorter period, others longer. The clinical team monitors progress throughout and makes adjustments based on how withdrawal is going.
After detox, the 28-day Foundation Programme begins. For many women, that continuity, the same place and the same team, is one of the most important reasons they choose Castle Craig.
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Does health insurance cover women’s detox?
In many cases, yes. Castle Craig works with a range of private health insurers, and treatment may be covered in part or in full depending on your policy and provider. Our admissions team can advise on what your insurance may cover and help you check.
NHS funding is also available for those who meet the clinical criteria. If cost is a concern, the admissions team can talk through the options available to you without any obligation.
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Is Castle Craig’s detox programme suitable for women with co-occurring mental health conditions?
Research has found that many women with addiction have co-occurring trauma and mental health conditions linked to adverse childhood experiences, domestic abuse, and the fear of child removal.
The NHS Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey found that 25% of young women aged 16–25 report symptoms of common mental disorder, mainly anxiety and depression. At Castle Craig, we assess mental health at admission. Where we identify a co-occurring condition, we treat it alongside the addiction, with the same clinical team.
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Can I request a female therapist or nurse for my detox at Castle Craig?
Yes. A female nurse is available on request throughout your detox in Kirkurd House, and if you’d prefer to work with a female therapist for your individual sessions, we can arrange that. If you have any concerns about the clinical team before you arrive, the admissions team can talk you through who will be involved in your care.
