A lot of people don't realize this fully once they commence a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription medicine doesn't in fact treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or used illegally, creates considerable dependence which is far more severe than most other opiates including heroin. For this reason, individuals who would like to stop use of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of treatment professionals. Anyone who has attempted to stop methadone use on their own cold turkey can advise you that this is almost impossible, and most relapse very quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there is hope for individuals who desire to abstain from the drug forever. In a drug and alcohol detoxification program drug and alcohol rehabilitation program which deals with methadone dependency and addiction treatment experts do everything they can to help ease withdrawal symptoms and ensure methadone detoxification is a safe process. There aren't any real health threats associated with methadone detoxification in the event the individual is healthy, but this isn't always the case. Illness as a result of drug abuse could make methadone detoxification risky, which is another reason folks should undergo methadone detoxification inside a specialist setting.