Detoxification is typically the very first step in getting off drugs. It permits a person to be in a supervised setting while they go through withdrawal symptoms for drugs and/or alcohol. There are various types of detoxification. Theyrange from drug-free to medically supervised. A typical mistake that many addicts make is to assume that detox is enough to kick their habit. This is almost never the case. All detox does is get a person through the withdrawal when they stop using. It is always recommended that detox be followed up with some type of treatment plan to find out the root of why an individual was using drugs in the first place.