Many individuals don't realize this completely once they commence a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription drug doesn't in fact treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or used illicitly, creates significant dependence which is far more severe than most other opiates including heroin. For this reason, individuals who wish to stop use of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of rehab specialists. Individuals who have tried to stop methadone use on their own cold turkey can tell you that this is almost impossible, and many relapse in a short time. With expert methadone detoxification, there is hope for individuals who need to abstain from the drug completely. Within an alcohol and drug detox facility drug treatment program which treats methadone dependence and addiction treatment experts do everything they can to ease withdrawal symptoms and make certain methadone detoxification is a safe process. There won't be any real health threats related to methadone detoxification if the individual is healthy, however, this isn't always the case. Poor health due to drug abuse could make methadone detoxification risky, and is another reason folks should undergo methadone detoxification within a specialist setting.