Many individuals don't understand this completely when they start a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription medicine doesn't in fact treat opiate dependency. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or abused illegally, produces considerable dependence which is much more extreme than most other opiates like heroin. Because of this, individuals who would like to get off of methadone will need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of rehab professionals. Anyone who has tried to stop methadone use on their own abruptly can tell you that this is virtually impossible, and many relapse quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there's hope for those who wish to get off of the drug completely. In an alcohol and drug detoxification program drug rehabilitation program which treats methadone dependency and addiction treatment professionals do everything they can to help ease withdrawal symptoms and ensure methadone detoxification is a safe course of action. There aren't any real health threats linked to methadone detoxification if the person is in good health, but this isn't always true. Bad health as a consequence of substance abuse could make methadone detoxification dangerous, which is one more reason individuals should undergo methadone detoxification within a professional facility.