Many people don't understand this fully whenever they start a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription medication doesn't in fact treat opiate dependency. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or abused illegally, produces significant dependence which is much more extreme than most other opiates including heroin. For this reason, individuals who wish to get off of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of rehabilitation professionals. Whoever has tried to stop methadone use on their own abruptly can advise you that this is virtually impossible, and most relapse quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there is certainly hope for those who wish to abstain from the drug completely. Inside a drug detox program drug and alcohol treatment facility which handled methadone dependency and addiction rehab specialists do everything they can to help relieve withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is a safe course of action. There aren't any real health risks related to methadone detoxification if the person is in good health, but this isn't always true. Bad health due to drug abuse may make methadone detoxification dangerous, and is another reason folks should undergo methadone detoxification inside a professional setting.