Detoxification is usually the initial 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 different types of detoxification. Theyrange from drug-free to medically supervised. A typical mistake that many addicts make is to believe that detox is sufficient to kick their habit. This is rarely the case. All detox does is get a person through the withdrawal when they stop using. It is often 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.