Drug and alcohol detox doesn't need to become a distressing process, as it can be made more manageable and made entirely safe when the individual detoxing is in the hands of detox professionals. People who are detoxing may not know that apart from the withdrawal and other effects one experiences during detoxification, their overall health may be at an increased risk. Specific substances may cause seizures and other serious symptoms that may be life threatening during detox. Alcohol is a good example of this, and anybody who is detoxing from alcohol needs to be treated within a specialist setting such as a detox facility or drug and alcohol rehab program in order to avoid any serious symptoms. Certain medical drugs also cause such symptoms, and it is never safe to abruptly cease using any kind of medical drug unless within a drug and alcohol detox facility or medical. Complications can arise with other drugs also, if someone's health has become compromised as a consequence of addiction, as is often the case. Specialists will assess a person's drug and alcohol use history once they arrive for alcohol and drug detox, and determine if any specific intervention is necessary and ensure that drug and alcohol detoxification can be a safe and smooth process.