Many people don't understand this fully whenever they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription drug doesn't actually effectively resolve opiate addiction. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or used illicitly, creates significant dependence which is much more extreme than most other opiates such as heroin. For that reason, individuals who would like to get off of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of treatment professionals. Those who have tried to stop methadone use on their own cold turkey can advise you that this is almost impossible, and many relapse rapidly. With expert methadone detoxification, there is certainly hope for many who desire to abstain from the drug completely. In an alcohol and drug detoxification program drug and alcohol rehab program which treats methadone dependency and addiction rehab professionals do everything they can to help ease withdrawal symptoms and make certain methadone detoxification is a safe course of action. There won't be any real health risks associated with methadone detoxification if the person is healthy, however, this isn't always true. Illness as a result of drug abuse may make methadone detoxification dangerous, and is another reason individuals should undergo methadone detoxification within a professional setting.