A lot of people don't understand this completely when they start a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription medication doesn't actually treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or abused illicitly, creates significant dependence which is far more severe than most other opiates such as heroin. For this reason, individuals who want to stop use of methadone will need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of rehab specialists. Whoever has attempted to stop methadone use independently cold turkey can tell you that this is almost impossible, and many relapse in a short time. With professional methadone detoxification, there is certainly hope for those who need to get off of the drug forever. Inside an alcohol and drug detoxification facility drug rehabilitation center which handled methadone dependency and addiction rehabilitation experts work tirelessly to ease withdrawal symptoms and ensure methadone detoxification is really a safe course of action. There won't be any real health hazards associated with methadone detoxification if the person is healthy, however this isn't always true. Poor health because of drug or alcohol use may make methadone detoxification dangerous, and is one more reason people should undergo methadone detoxification in a professional facility.