Detoxification is usually the 1st step in getting off drugs. It allows 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 feel 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 learn the root of why a person was using drugs in the first place.