Hospital inpatient substance abuse treatment is performed in a hospital setting and is overseen by doctors and other medical staff. Hospital inpatient treatment is often necessary in the beginning stages of abstinence when the person may encounter the onset of life threatening withdrawal symptoms, which is sometimes true when quitting alcohol as well as a category of prescription drugs known as benzodiazepines which should be monitored very carefully by medical professionals in case of any complications. Hospital inpatient treatment is also administered to those who desire a medication assisted withdrawal, as is the case with opiate addicted individuals who wish to use this type of detoxification approach to avoid the severe withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin or other opiate withdrawal. This type of opiate detoxification is not treatment in itself however, and these people will require additional counseling and therapy to completely recover from addiction.