Safe & Expert Addiction Treatment Near Belfast
Smarmore Castle is a residential clinic for the treatment of addiction, providing high quality medical and therapeutic care for those suffering from alcoholism, drug and behavioural addictions, including gambling.
Our Location, 1 hour from Belfast
Belfast to Smarmore is a 1-hour drive along the M1
Smarmore Castle is situated very close to the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, in County Louth, just a 1.5-hour drive from Belfast.
We occupy a stunning, countryside location, where our patients find both comfort and privacy in a renovated 14th-century castle, housing excellent facilities including a leisure centre, gym and swimming pool. It is set within 15 acres of scenic landscape, which patients are able to explore in their leisure time.
Residential Rehab Treatment Clinic, near Belfast
At Smarmore Castle, our mission is to provide the highest quality and most effective treatment for our patients and those suffering from alcohol, drug and gambling addiction in Belfast. We receive patients from Belfast, Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK, EU and further internationally.
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Admissions for Patients From Belfast and the Rest of Northern Ireland
Patients from Belfast and the rest of Northern Ireland can access drug detoxification and addiction rehab treatment at Smarmore Castle Private Clinic in the following ways:
- Self funding private patient
- Through medical insurance
Contact us for more information on our admissions process.
Our Addiction Treatment Programme
The addiction treatment model at Smarmore Castle has been developed over 30 years by a world-renowned team of doctors and psychologists. We provide an intensive rehab programme that follows the 12 Steps Model and includes:
- Rapid admissions process,
- Thorough medical assessment and full physical examination,
- Detoxification from alcohol and drugs, managed by our medical team,
- Specialist addiction therapies include individual therapy, group therapy, CBT, Trauma therapy, grief therapy,
- Complementary addiction therapies, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, equine therapy and drumming therapy,
- Dual diagnosis treatment including eating disorders and depression,
- Use of our indoor heated swimming pool with sauna, steam room, gym and sports with our fitness instructor,
- 16 acres of private gardens,
- Family therapy programme,
- Continuing care after discharge.
Our residential rehabilitation treatment programme is based on the clinically proven rehab treatment model pioneered by Castle Craig, our partner establishment in Scotland. At Smarmore Castle, our expert team of therapists, nurses and doctors are led by a highly-experienced Consultant Psychiatrist.
Alcoholics Anonymous / Narcotics Anonymous in Belfast
We recommend you begin your journey to abstinence by seeking self-help through attending peer support groups in Belfast. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings are organised across Northern Ireland, in Belfast, Derry, and Lisburn, among others. They provide an invaluable network of support for those suffering from alcohol and drug addiction in Belfast, Northern Ireland. They help people from Belfast to achieve sobriety through a 12-step programme.
From Belfast? Contact us for Addiction Advice
The team at Smarmore Castle is always available to answer questions about our rehab treatment programme, admissions, or funding. If you are from Belfast and are thinking of entering rehab or if you are a family member, friend or employer of someone who is suffering from an alcohol or drug addiction in Belfast, please contact us for advice.
Equine Therapy at Smarmore Castle
Equine therapy is one of a range of complementary therapies we offer patients at Smarmore Castle. Our complementary therapies are delivered alongside our core programme of individual and group counselling. They aim to enhance the patient’s sense of spirituality and well-being, in addition to their ongoing psychological and physical healing.
During what can be an emotionally stressful time, equine therapy helps patients to reconnect with both themselves and nature. As extremely sensitive creatures, horses help to promote the patient’s feelings of groundedness and relaxation, as well as improve their communication and assertiveness skills.
Most patients report considerably lower stress levels after interacting with these beautiful animals.
Get Help and Advice for Your Addiction Today
Belfast Alcohol and Drug Abuse
In Northern Ireland, the proportion of the population drinking above the recommended weekly allowance has slowly decreased since 2010. However, a fifth of the population still did so in 2015/16.
Belfast had the highest number of alcohol-related deaths recorded in 2009 compared to any other county (22.4 per 100,000 people). In 2011, alcohol consumption was highest in the Eastern region of Northern Ireland, including Belfast, with 78% of the population consuming alcohol.
In 2010/11, drug use was highest in the Belfast region, with 34% of the population trying cannabis at some point in their lives. In Northern Ireland, between 2005 to 2015/16, the use of cocaine among those seeking drug treatment rose from 25% to 35%, while the use of heroin and ecstasy both fell during this period.
In 2014, of people seeking treatment for drug addiction, 28% of them were treated in the Belfast area.
In 2014/15, cannabis was reported as the most widely used drug among patients seeking drug treatment in the Belfast area. In the Belfast area, 33% of these patients had used cocaine before. The use of opioid pain-relieving drugs was higher in the Belfast area than in all other areas apart from the Northern region (26%).
Free & Confidential Addiction Assessment
Taking the first step in seeking help can be very difficult, our team is here to help you.
- How to Access Rehab With Health Insurance
For those experiencing existing mental health conditions in Ireland, there are private medical insurers who can help you cover treatment. As addiction experts, we know that receiving the appropriate care and support when you have a mental health disorder is pivotal to attaining long-lasting recovery. Below, we will go through the various health insurance options to help you understand your options when it comes to seeking private residential care for substance abuse. Please note that there is no guarantee that you can be covered for all addiction problems as policies are always assessed on a case-by-case basis. Find Out More
- My Loved One Doesn’t Want Help, What Do I Do?
You can’t force someone to go to rehab. At the end of the day, it needs to be their decision because they are the ones that need to be open to turning their lives around. There are ways in which you can encourage someone to enter treatment, one of these ways is via an intervention with a trained interventionist, who facilitates an honest discussion between family members and the addict. This is something Smarmore Castle can arrange – contact us today.
- Which Drugs Does Smarmore Castle Detox From?
We can detox people from any drugs whether they are illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin, ketamine; or prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines or zopiclone, oxycodone, zolpidem, klonopin, methadone, cannabis; and legal drugs such as alcohol.
- How Long Is the Treatment Programme?
Our treatment programme starts at 4 weeks and is flexible in length, giving you the opportunity to extend for a longer period if you need it.
- Do You Treat Dual Diagnosis?
All patients are reviewed by a consultant psychiatrist in the first week and we can diagnose and provide treatment for a number of co-occurring mental health conditions.
- Do I Need to Be Abstinent Before Admission?
Our medically managed detoxification with 24/7 medical cover means that we can perform complete and complex detoxes at Smarmore Castle. You don’t need to be abstinent before arrival.
- How Do I Get To Rehab Safely?
Smarmore Castle is one hour north of Dublin international airport and we can arrange a driver to collect you and bring you straight to us for free.
We can also arrange a ‘sober transport’ service with a trusted driver, from anywhere in Ireland or Northern Ireland, at an additional cost.