Drug and alcohol detoxification doesn't need to be 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. Individuals who are detoxing may well not recognize that apart from the withdrawal and other effects one experiences during detox, their health and wellbeing might be at an increased risk. Certain substances may cause seizures along with other severe 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 in a specialist setting such as a detoxification facility or drug and alcohol treatment program to prevent any severe symptoms. Specific medical drugs also cause such symptoms, and it's never safe to abruptly quit using almost any pharmaceutical drug unless within a drug and alcohol detoxification center or pharmaceutical. Difficulties can come up with other drugs as well, if someone's health has been compromised as a result of substance abuse, as is often the case. Specialists will assess an individual's drug abuse history whenever they arrive for drug and alcohol detox, and see if any specific intervention is required to be sure that alcohol and drug detox is a safe and smooth process.