Lots of people don't realize this completely whenever they start a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription medicine doesn't in fact effectively resolve opiate dependency. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or used illegally, produces significant dependence which is much more extreme than most other opiates including heroin. For this reason, individuals who want to get off of methadone will need to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of rehabilitation professionals. Whoever has tried to stop methadone use independently abruptly can advise you that this is practically impossible, and many relapse in a short time. With expert methadone detoxification, there is hope for those who wish to abstain from the drug for good. In a drug detoxification facility alcohol and drug treatment program which handled methadone dependency and addiction rehabilitation specialists do everything they can to relieve withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is really a safe process. There are no real health threats associated with methadone detoxification if the individual is healthy, however this isn't always true. Bad health as a consequence of substance abuse may make methadone detoxification risky, which is one more reason people should undergo methadone detoxification within a professional setting.