Many people don't understand this fully once they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription medicine doesn't in fact treat opiate dependency. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or abused illegally, creates significant dependence which is way more severe than other opiates such as heroin. Due to this, individuals who want to stop use of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of rehab specialists. Those who have attempted to stop methadone use on their own cold turkey can tell you that this is nearly impossible, and most relapse very quickly. With professional methadone detoxification, there is certainly hope for those who would like to get off of the drug completely. Inside an alcohol and drug detoxification program alcohol and drug treatment facility which treats methadone dependence and addiction treatment specialists do everything they can to relieve withdrawal symptoms and make certain methadone detoxification is a safe course of action. There aren't any real health threats related to methadone detoxification in the event the person is healthy, however this isn't always the case. Illness because of drug abuse may make methadone detoxification risky, and is another reason folks should undergo methadone detoxification within a specialist facility.