Lots of people don't realize this completely whenever they commence a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription drug doesn't actually treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or used illicitly, produces considerable dependence which is much more extreme than other opiates like heroin. For that reason, individuals who want to get off of methadone will have to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of rehabilitation professionals. Whoever has tried to stop methadone use independently cold turkey can advise you that this is practically impossible, and many relapse quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there's hope for individuals who desire to get off of the drug once and for all. Within an alcohol and drug detoxification center drug and alcohol rehab facility which treats methadone dependency and addiction rehab professionals do everything they can to help ease withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is really a safe course of action. There are no real health threats related to methadone detoxification if the individual is healthy, but this isn't always the case. Illness due to drug or alcohol use might make methadone detoxification dangerous, which is another reason people should undergo methadone detoxification in a professional setting.