Many people don't realize this fully when they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription medicine doesn't in fact treat opiate dependency. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or abused illegally, creates significant dependence which is way more severe than most other opiates such as heroin. For this reason, individuals who wish to get off of methadone will have to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of rehabilitation specialists. Those who have tried to stop methadone use by themselves cold turkey can tell you that this is practically impossible, and many relapse quickly. With professional methadone detoxification, there is hope for many who need to get off of the drug forever. In a drug detox program drug and alcohol treatment center which deals with methadone dependency and addiction rehab professionals do everything they can to ease withdrawal symptoms and ensure methadone detoxification is a safe course of action. There are no real health problems related to methadone detoxification if the person is healthy, however this isn't always the case. Bad health due to substance abuse could make methadone detoxification dangerous, which is another reason individuals should undergo methadone detoxification in a specialist setting.