Detoxification is generally the first step in getting off drugs. It allows a person to be in a supervised environment 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 common mistake that a lot of addicts make is to feel that detox is sufficient to kick their habit. This is seldom 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.