Many people don't understand this completely when they commence a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription medicine doesn't actually effectively resolve opiate dependency. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or used illegally, produces significant dependence which is way more extreme than other opiates including heroin. For this reason, individuals who wish to get off of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of treatment specialists. Individuals who have attempted to stop methadone use on their own abruptly can tell you that this is almost impossible, and many relapse rapidly. With professional methadone detoxification, there's hope for individuals who wish to abstain from the drug forever. Within a drug and alcohol detox facility drug treatment program which deals with methadone dependency and addiction treatment specialists do everything they can to relieve withdrawal symptoms and ensure methadone detoxification is really a safe process. There are no real health risks associated with methadone detoxification if the person is in good health, however, this isn't always the case. Bad health due to drug or alcohol use may make methadone detoxification dangerous, and is one more reason individuals should undergo methadone detoxification in a specialist setting.