Many people don't understand this fully when they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription medication doesn't actually treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or used illicitly, creates considerable dependence which is far more severe than most other opiates such as heroin. For that reason, individuals who want to stop use of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of rehabilitation professionals. Those who have attempted to stop methadone use by themselves cold turkey can tell you that this is almost impossible, and many relapse quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there is hope for those who desire to get off of the drug forever. Within an alcohol and drug detox facility drug rehabilitation center which handled methadone dependency and addiction rehab experts do everything they can to help ease withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is a safe process. There are no real health threats linked to methadone detoxification in the event the person is healthy, however, this isn't always true. Bad health as a consequence of substance abuse may make methadone detoxification dangerous, and is another reason people should undergo methadone detoxification inside a professional facility.