Detoxification is typically the initial step in getting off drugs. It permits a person to be in a supervised environment while they go through withdrawal symptoms for drugs and/or alcohol. There are diverse types of detoxification. Theyvary from drug-free to medically supervised. A common mistake that a lot of addicts make is to feel that detox is sufficient to kick their habit. This is almost never the case. All detox does is get someone through the withdrawal when they stop using. It is usually recommended that detox be followed up with some type of treatment plan to find out the root of why a person was using drugs in the first place.