Drug detox and alcohol detoxification is a process that a person who has been addicted and dependent to drugs and alcohol must experience after they stop using drugs and alcohol abruptly. People who abuse alcohol and drugs can't stop or don't want to stop using these substances simply because they know they'll have to detox, which is often extremely uncomfortable as well as painful in some instances. Thankfully, treatment professionals in alcohol and drug rehab programs are trained and experienced with the drug detox and alcohol detoxification process and the ways to make this course of action as smooth and safe as is possible. It is possible to avoid certain withdrawal symptoms, make sure they are more manageable, or otherwise make them tolerable while they last which is typically only a matter of days. Those who experience drug detox or alcohol detoxification must not stop here, and leaving rehab after only achieving this makes all progress to this point mute. This is because people who only detox and receive no further rehab do equally as well as somebody who never participated in any rehab to start with. Detox isn't treatment, so individuals who undergo drug detox and alcohol detoxification should invest in an extensive plan for treatment which covers all aspects of their addiction.