Detoxification is usually the first step in getting off drugs. It permits an individual to be in a supervised setting while they go through withdrawal symptoms for drugs and/or alcohol. There are diverse types of detoxification. Theyrange from drug-free to medically supervised. A frequent mistake that many addicts make is to assume that detox is sufficient to kick their habit. This is hardly ever the case. All detox does is get a person 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.