Many people don't realize this completely whenever they commence a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription medication doesn't actually treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or used illicitly, creates significant dependence which is much more severe than most other opiates such as heroin. For this reason, individuals who want to stop use of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of treatment specialists. Anyone who has attempted to stop methadone use by themselves cold turkey can advise you that this is nearly impossible, and many relapse very quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there is certainly hope for many who desire to abstain from the drug for good. Within a drug and alcohol detox facility drug and alcohol rehab center which handled methadone dependency and addiction rehabilitation experts do everything they can to relieve withdrawal symptoms and ensure methadone detoxification is a safe course of action. There won't be any real health risks linked to methadone detoxification when the person is in good health, but this isn't always true. Bad health because of drug or alcohol use could make methadone detoxification risky, which is another reason people should undergo methadone detoxification inside a specialist setting.