A lot of people don't realize this completely once they start a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription medicine doesn't actually treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or used illicitly, produces considerable dependence which is far more extreme than other opiates such as heroin. For this reason, individuals who want to get off of methadone will have to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of rehab specialists. Individuals who have attempted to stop methadone use independently cold turkey can advise you that this is almost impossible, and many relapse very quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there is certainly hope for those who desire to abstain from the drug once and for all. Within a drug and alcohol detox facility drug treatment center which deals with methadone dependency and addiction treatment specialists do everything they can to help ease withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is really a safe process. There aren't any real health problems linked to methadone detoxification when the individual is in good health, but this isn't always the case. Bad health as a result of drug or alcohol use could make methadone detoxification risky, and is another reason people should undergo methadone detoxification within a professional setting.