It is advisable to avoid this facility due to its inflated prices and exaggerated acclaim. 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.
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 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. Before 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allowed half the usual dose of one antidepressant, and my other antidepressants and benzodiazepines were completely withdrawn.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, and took an additional 10 minutes to rectify the mistake, causing further frustration.
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.
(to be continued in part 2.) read more
