Different personalities obviously need different tactics to approach withdrawl.
Some people iron man it because they believe that remembering the pain they went through will be enough to keep them motivated to stay off the shit and for some this has worked. Some people have been through that so many times and want an easier way that doesn't cause so much immediate stress on the body and mind, and once again, it has worked.
Really the most important point is to not underestimate what it is that you are going to go through. With time comes experience, and with experience comes knowledge, so everytime you kick, youre going to learn what works better for you. Regardless of you use any kind of mood altering substances to get through it, you will need to take in enough nutrients to start feeling human again (and it does make a huge difference).
Also, not everyone does quit completely, sobriety is a journey that has less pit stops as it goes and we may not all reach that point of perfect sobriety. The important thing is to continue to make strides to better your life if your DOC is damaging it and to realize that no one is perfect and using after a long time of sobriety is no reason to give up on it, or to go back to active use. I am by no means agreeing with chipping, but everybody does their own thing, it happens.