Many people don't understand this completely whenever they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription drug doesn't in fact treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or used illegally, produces considerable dependence which is way more severe than other opiates such as heroin. For this reason, individuals who would like to stop use of methadone will have to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of rehab specialists. Individuals who have attempted to stop methadone use on their own cold turkey can advise you that this is nearly impossible, and many relapse very quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there's hope for those who desire to abstain from the drug once and for all. Inside a drug detoxification program drug and alcohol treatment facility which handled methadone dependency and addiction rehab professionals do everything they can to relieve withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is really a safe course of action. There are no real health threats related to methadone detoxification when the person is in good health, however this isn't always the case. Bad health due to substance abuse may make methadone detoxification risky, which is one more reason people should undergo methadone detoxification in a specialist setting.