Hospital inpatient substance abuse treatment is performed in a hospital or similar 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 experience 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 supervised very carefully by medical professionals to minimize ant dangerous health complications. Hospital inpatient treatment is also administered to those who choose to undergo medication assisted withdrawal, as is the case with individuals who are addicted to opiates and wish to use this type of detox technique to avoid the severe withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin or other opiate withdrawal. This type of opiate detox is not treatment in itself however, and these people will require further counseling and therapy to completely recover from addiction.