Drug and alcohol detox does not have to become a distressing process, as it can be made more manageable and made completely safe in the event 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 health and wellbeing might actually be at risk. Certain substances may cause seizures along with other serious symptoms that could be life-threatening during detox. Alcohol is a good example of this, and anybody who is detoxing from alcohol needs to be treated inside a professional setting such as a detoxification facility or drug rehab program to prevent any severe symptoms. Particular pharmaceutical drugs also cause such symptoms, and it is never safe to abruptly quit using any type of pharmaceutical drug unless inside a drug and alcohol detoxification center or pharmaceutical. Problems can arise with other drugs as well, if one's health has been compromised as a result of substance abuse, as is generally the case. Specialists will assess a person's drug and alcohol use history when they arrive for drug and alcohol detox, and see if any specific intervention is required to make certain that alcohol and drug detoxification can be a safe and smooth process.