Many individuals don't understand this completely when they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription medication doesn't in fact treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or abused illicitly, creates considerable dependence which is far more severe than other opiates like heroin. Because of this, individuals who want to stop use of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of treatment specialists. Whoever has attempted to stop methadone use on their own abruptly can advise you that this is almost impossible, and many relapse quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there is hope for individuals who desire to get off of the drug once and for all. Within an alcohol and drug detox facility alcohol and drug rehabilitation program which treats methadone dependence and addiction treatment experts do everything they can to help relieve withdrawal symptoms and ensure methadone detoxification is a safe course of action. There aren't any real health risks connected with methadone detoxification when the individual is healthy, however this isn't always true. Bad health due to drug abuse could make methadone detoxification risky, which is another reason individuals should undergo methadone detoxification within a specialist setting.