Lots of people don't understand this completely whenever they start a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription medication doesn't in fact treat opiate dependency. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or used illegally, produces considerable dependence which is much more extreme than most other opiates including heroin. For this reason, individuals who wish to get off of methadone will have to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of rehab specialists. Those who have tried to stop methadone use independently cold turkey can tell you that this is practically impossible, and most relapse rapidly. With professional methadone detoxification, there is certainly hope for those who would like to get off of the drug forever. Inside a drug detox center drug rehab center which handled methadone dependence and addiction rehab experts do everything they can to ease withdrawal symptoms and ensure methadone detoxification is a safe process. There are no real health risks associated with methadone detoxification when the person is healthy, but this isn't always the case. Poor health because of substance abuse could make methadone detoxification dangerous, which is one more reason people should undergo methadone detoxification inside a specialist setting.