Many individuals don't understand this completely whenever they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription drug doesn't actually treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or used illegally, creates significant dependence which is much more extreme than most other opiates like heroin. For that reason, individuals who want to stop use of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of rehab specialists. Anyone who has attempted to stop methadone use independently abruptly can tell you that this is virtually impossible, and many relapse in a short time. With professional methadone detoxification, there is certainly hope for those who wish to abstain from the drug for good. Within a drug detox program alcohol and drug rehabilitation program which deals with methadone dependence and addiction treatment specialists 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 hazards linked to methadone detoxification in the event the individual is in good health, but this isn't always true. Illness as a result of drug or alcohol use might make methadone detoxification risky, and is one more reason people should undergo methadone detoxification in a specialist setting.