Drug detox and alcohol detoxification is a process that anyone who has been dependent and addicted to drugs and alcohol will need to go through after they stop using drugs and alcohol suddenly. Individuals who abuse alcohol and drugs can't stop or don't want to stop abusing drug or alcohol simply because they know they will have to detox, which may be very uncomfortable and even painful now and again. Luckily, treatment professionals in drug treatment programs are skilled and experienced with the drug detox and alcohol detoxification process and the ways to make this process as smooth and safe as is possible. It is possible to avoid certain withdrawal symptoms, make them more manageable, or at least make sure they are tolerable while they last which can be typically only a matter of days. Individuals who proceed through drug detox or alcohol detoxification should never stop here, and leaving rehabilitation after only accomplishing this makes all progress to this point mute. This is because folks who only detox and receive no further treatment do as well as someone who never participated in any rehabilitation to start with. Detoxification isn't rehabilitation, so individuals who undergo drug detox and alcohol detoxification must invest in an extensive plan for treatment addresses all aspects of their drug or alcohol addiction.