Alcohol and drug detoxification does not have to become a distressing process, as it can be made more manageable and made completely safe if the individual detoxing is in the hands of detoxification professionals. People who are detoxing may well not know that besides the withdrawal and other effects one experiences during detoxification, their wellbeing might be at an increased risk. Certain substances might cause seizures as well as other severe symptoms that may be life-threatening during detox. Alcohol is a good example of this, and anybody who is detoxing from alcohol must be treated within a professional setting like a detox facility or drug treatment center to prevent any serious symptoms. Specific medical drugs also cause such symptoms, and it's never safe to abruptly stop using any kind of medical drug unless inside a drug and alcohol detox center or medical. Issues can arise with other drugs as well, if a person's health may be compromised because of substance abuse, as is usually the case. Specialists will assess a person's drug and alcohol use history when they arrive for alcohol and drug detox, and determine if any specific intervention is needed to make certain that drug and alcohol detoxification is a smooth and safe process.