Victoria McCann BA, MSc

Victoria McCann BA, MSc

Communications Director and 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 since 2012, 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.

Xylazine: Effects, Misuse and Treatment

Xylazine, a non-opioid sedative for animals, is increasingly misused and is often combined with illicit opioids such as fentanyl. Also known as tranq, xylazine exerts sedative, muscle relaxing and pain-relieving effects. Although approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in animals, it has no approved human use. As a central […]

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy – DBT treatment for addiction

What is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy?  Dialectical Behaviour Therapy – or DBT as it is often known – is a type of talking therapy designed to help people who feel emotions particularly intensely and who struggle to regulate their emotions.  It can help you to accept and manage difficult feelings and learn new skills to cope […]

EMDR Therapy – Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing

What is EMDR?   EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, is a type of therapy which helps people to process difficult memories and beliefs. It is used to treat trauma and is based on the notion that during distressing life experiences, a person can be so overwhelmed by trauma that their brain is […]

group therapy

Group Therapy for Addiction

Group therapy for addiction is a daily part of treatment at Castle Craig; every weekday morning, a small group of patients meets with one of our specialist addiction therapists. It’s one of our residential addiction treatment programme’s clinical cornerstones. For many people, the idea of talking about their lives in front of others is the […]

Castle private residential outdoor angle blue sky

Medically Managed Inpatient Heroin Detox Centre in Scotland, UK

Castle Craig, located in the Scottish Borders, has been a trusted residential rehab facility for over 35 years. We specialise in medically managed detox for a full range of substance misuse, including heroin dependency. Our approach centres on supporting your overall recovery within a private and therapeutic environment, addressing both body and mind. Our spacious […]

Oxycodone Addiction

Oxycodone – also referred to as OxyCotin or Percocet – is an opioid painkiller drug. It is a narcotic analgesic and is prescribed to relieve moderate to severe pain

Opioid Addiction Treatment

Prescription opioids used for pain relief are generally safe when taken for a short time and as prescribed by your health care provider. However, opioid misuse and addiction are still potential risks

Cocaine Addiction

Are you misusing cocaine and are worried you have become addicted? Are you concerned that a loved one’s life is becoming unmanageable due to their cocaine use? Cocaine addiction can be devastating, but it is important to know that recovery is possible with the appropriate interventions and cocaine rehab treatment support.  This page contains helpful […]

Compassionate Nurse Consultation

The Disease Model of Addiction

What is The Disease Model of Addiction? The disease model of addiction recognises addiction as a chronic illness, comparable to diabetes or asthma, rather than a lapse in willpower or moral failing. According to this model, addiction is a brain disease, arising due to structural and functional changes in the brain. This view is supported […]

Pregabalin addiction

Pregabalin is prescribed to hundreds of thousands of people in the UK each year. For many, it provides relief from nerve pain, anxiety, and epilepsy. What many don’t know is that pregabalin also carries a significant risk. This risk was serious enough that in 2019, the UK government reclassified it as a Class C controlled […]