Many individuals don't understand this completely when they start a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription medicine doesn't actually effectively resolve opiate dependency. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or used illicitly, produces considerable dependence which is much more extreme than most other opiates like heroin. Because of this, individuals who would like to get off of methadone will have to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of treatment professionals. Whoever has attempted to stop methadone use independently cold turkey can tell you that this is almost impossible, and many relapse rapidly. With professional methadone detoxification, there is hope for those who would like to abstain from the drug completely. Within an alcohol and drug detoxification facility alcohol and drug treatment program which treats methadone dependency and addiction treatment professionals do everything they can to help ease withdrawal symptoms and ensure methadone detoxification is really a safe process. There are no real health hazards connected with methadone detoxification when the individual is healthy, however this isn't always the case. Bad health because of drug or alcohol use could make methadone detoxification dangerous, which is another reason people should undergo methadone detoxification in a professional facility.