Many individuals don't understand this completely once they commence a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription drug doesn't actually treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or abused illegally, creates significant dependence which is way more extreme than most other opiates including heroin. For that reason, individuals who want to get off of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of rehab specialists. Those who have tried to stop methadone use independently cold turkey can advise you that this is practically impossible, and most relapse quickly. With professional methadone detoxification, there's hope for individuals who need to abstain from the drug completely. Within an alcohol and drug detox program alcohol and drug treatment program which deals with methadone dependency and addiction rehab professionals work tirelessly to ease withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is a safe course of action. There won't be any real health threats related to methadone detoxification if the individual is in good health, however, this isn't always true. Bad health because of drug abuse may make methadone detoxification risky, and is one more reason people should undergo methadone detoxification inside a professional setting.