A lot of people don't understand this completely once they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription drug doesn't actually treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or abused illicitly, creates significant dependence which is way more extreme than other opiates like heroin. Due to this, individuals who wish to stop use of methadone will need to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of rehab specialists. Anyone who has tried to stop methadone use independently abruptly can advise you that this is almost impossible, and most relapse very quickly. With professional methadone detoxification, there is hope for individuals who would like to abstain from the drug completely. In a drug detox program drug and alcohol treatment center which deals with methadone dependence and addiction rehabilitation specialists do everything they can to relieve withdrawal symptoms and ensure methadone detoxification is a safe process. There won't be any real health risks related to methadone detoxification if the individual is in good health, however this isn't always the case. Bad health as a consequence of substance abuse may make methadone detoxification dangerous, which is one more reason folks should undergo methadone detoxification inside a specialist setting.