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Irish Rehabilitation Centre: Smarmore Castle
Smarmore Castle is the third rehabilitation centre opened by Peter and Dr. Margaret McCann that has been designed to help people recover successfully from drug, alcohol, and behavioural addictions.
Based in County Louth and within reach of Northern Ireland, we have successfully treated over 1200 people addicted to both drugs and alcohol.
We define addiction as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterised by compulsive acting out, substance abuse, or drinking. Untreated alcoholism or drug addiction destroys lives and families, and professional treatment is often needed.
As addiction specialists, therapists, and pioneers, we have spent a lifetime working on developing a style of treatment that works at offering alcoholics and people addicted to substances a good chance of long-term sobriety.
Having treated more than 1,200 patients in Ireland in under a decade, we have been described as “the leader in Ireland for addiction treatment.” On top of this, our treatment programme has been reviewed in Google by our patients as a “life-changer.”
Reaching Out
But Other Than Our Successes, What Else Makes Us Stand Out?
According to some of our past patients, it would be our facilities.
- Quick assessment and admission
- Based in 15 acres of private land set amid the rolling hills of County Louth
- We are medically managed – Medical Director, Consultant Psychiatrist and nursing team
- 22-metre swimming pool
- A spacious sprung-floor gym
- Steam room and sauna
- Equine therapy
- Fitness trainers, Aqua aerobics, Aqua yoga
All-Inclusive Hotel-Like Services
- Laundry facilities
- Daily newspaper
- Airport transfer service
- Nutritional menu and diet options
Aside from the hotel features, you would expect, Smarmore has all of the ‘hospital’ like features you would expect for patient care.
Medically Managed Detox
As a medically managed rehab, we can offer detox.
- Upon attending Smarmore Castle for addiction treatment, you will enter a detoxification programme managed by a specialist medical team, who will be available to you round the clock, 7 days a week.
- Detox typically lasts a week; however, this will rely on how long you have been using drugs and what type of drugs have been taken. For example, benzodiazepine withdrawal can take longer.
- With an experienced medical team assisting 24-7, the aim is to ease discomfort and make the withdrawal process more manageable and promote patient dignity.
- We want detox to be the first step towards long term sobriety. This way, our patients would be right to believe that their detoxification, whilst uncomfortable is just the start of a journey that can lead to a happier more content life, free from addiction.
Wide Range of Therapies
Other than the 12 step recovery programme, our addiction centres are focused on getting to the core reason why you turn to alcohol or drugs in the first place.
Co-occurring mental health disorders have long often been the culprit in fuelling the fire of addiction for many patients, whether it’s because of trauma, grief, anxiety, PTSD, or depression.
Therapy is an important part of our addiction programme as its how we will teach you essential coping strategies to deal with everyday triggers and alter the patterns and behaviours of your thoughts. Long-term sobriety is our goal.
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Our therapies include:
- Group therapy
- One-to-one therapy
- CBT/DBT
- Grief/bereavement therapy
- Trauma therapy & EMDR
- Holistic and wellness approaches
- Women only groups
- Equine therapy
- Aquatherapy
- Family therapy
Medical Staff on Call 24-7
We know the most important factor behind any drug or alcohol treatment is the staff delivering your treatment. Qualified and experienced medical professionals involved in your treatment can offer a greater chance at long-term sobriety.
Our medical team includes:
- Dr Hugh Gallagher: Medical Director
- Professor Gerard Lynch: Consultant Psychiatrist
- Keith Cassidy: Clinic Manager
- Paul McAnespie: Nurse
We cannot communicate enough how important the role of a psychiatrist will be for overseeing and planning for your individualised treatment.
As no two patients are the same a psychiatrist can help identify drivers and triggers behind the illness. Addiction is a disease and it requires specialist intervention from doctors and therapists to help replace unhelpful risky thought patterns and behaviours.
Discreet Location
Amongst the beautiful hills of Co. Louth and located in a country house set in 15 acres of private gardens and woodland, guaranteeing privacy, inspiration, and tranquillity. The environment is quiet, calming and inducive of recovery.
Spa Facilities
As detoxification, therapy, and doctors are important to your programme, so is the process of self-love and healing. We encourage our patients in their free time to explore their self-care as a way of teaching them how to take time for themselves.
The practice of mindfulness will also help patients settle their thoughts, relax and take their recovery in their stride. A healthy body and healthy mind is an important concept and we actively encourage gentle exercise as part of well-being.
Fitness Trainers
Here at Smarmore, we don’t just look after the mind, but we take care of the body too. Therefore, we make sure that all patients have a minimum of three fitness sessions per week.
We work with fitness coaches and well-being trainers like Rachael Buckley, who has more than 25 years of experience in the industry. Health and well-being play a strong role in recovery as they can motivate you, give you a natural boost, and inserts important aspects like structure into your everyday routine.
We have an onsite gym available and also run yoga and Pilates classes. If the gym is not your thing, we have 16 acres of private gardens available for walks and jogging.
Exercise releases feel-good endorphins which reduce depression and anxiety and increase positivity and self-esteem. It is an important relapse prevention tool.
Personalised Treatment
Free Aftercare
Addiction is a lifelong condition – there is no miraculous cure. However, you will continue the lessons and the work we have implemented during your stay.
We believe that well-set-up aftercare services are essential because they work to reduce the risk of relapse following treatment. That’s why it’s important for patients to be equipped with care plans and continuing care programmes that help to keep them on track.
