I think the general thing is that coming off of alcohol is the only thing that can actually kill you, simply as a result of coming off it.
A doctor actually told me a story once of how many years ago there used to be some kind of wagon which went around the streets picking up all the drunk/drugged people lying around.
In the morning the people on heroin etc would walk out of the van feeling like crap, but some of the alcoholics would wakeup dead.
Again, not sure how true that is, but it does kind of give me the mindset of thinking "F**k you, i'm coming off alcohol, this is harder than anything you've ever done in your life!".