Lots of people don't understand this completely when they commence a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription medication doesn't in fact treat opiate dependency. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or used illicitly, produces significant dependence which is far more extreme than other opiates such as heroin. For this reason, individuals who wish to get off of methadone will have to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of rehab professionals. Those who have tried to stop methadone use independently cold turkey can tell you that this is practically impossible, and many relapse rapidly. With professional methadone detoxification, there is hope for many who would like to get off of the drug once and for all. Within a drug and alcohol detoxification program drug rehabilitation facility which handled methadone dependency and addiction rehabilitation professionals do everything they can to help relieve withdrawal symptoms and ensure methadone detoxification is really a safe process. There are no real health problems linked to methadone detoxification when the individual is healthy, however, this isn't always true. Bad health as a result of drug abuse may make methadone detoxification dangerous, and is another reason people should undergo methadone detoxification inside a professional setting.