Hospital inpatient substance abuse treatment is carried out 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 the case when quitting alcohol as well as a category of prescription drugs known as benzodiazepines which must be supervised very carefully by medical professionals in case of any complications. Hospital inpatient treatment is also delivered to those who desire a medication assisted withdrawal, as is the case with individuals who are addicted to opiates and wish to use this type of detoxification technique to avoid the harsh withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin or other opiate withdrawal. This type of opiate detoxification is not treatment in itself however, and these individuals will need further counseling and therapy to entirely recover from addiction.