Hospital inpatient drug or alcohol treatment is performed in a hospital setting and is overseen by doctors and other medical staff. Hospital inpatient treatment is sometimes 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 must be monitored very carefully by medical professionals to minimize ant dangerous health complications. Hospital inpatient treatment is also delivered 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 need further counseling and therapy to completely recover from addiction.