Many individuals don't understand this fully when they start a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription drug doesn't in fact effectively resolve opiate dependency. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or used illegally, creates considerable dependence which is much more severe than most other opiates including heroin. For that reason, individuals who would like to stop use of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of rehab professionals. Individuals who have attempted to stop methadone use by themselves cold turkey can tell you that this is nearly impossible, and most relapse very quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there is hope for many who need to get off of the drug forever. Within a drug and alcohol detoxification program alcohol and drug rehab program which handled methadone dependence and addiction treatment experts do everything they can to relieve withdrawal symptoms and ensure methadone detoxification is really a safe process. There aren't any real health hazards linked to methadone detoxification when the person is in good health, but this isn't always true. Bad health due to drug or alcohol use may make methadone detoxification dangerous, and is another reason folks should undergo methadone detoxification within a specialist setting.