Many people don't understand this fully whenever they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription medication doesn't actually effectively resolve opiate addiction. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or used illicitly, creates significant dependence which is much more extreme than other opiates like heroin. For that reason, individuals who wish to get off of methadone will need to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of rehabilitation specialists. Individuals who have attempted to stop methadone use independently cold turkey can advise you that this is almost impossible, and many relapse in a short time. With expert methadone detoxification, there is hope for individuals who would like to abstain from the drug completely. Within an alcohol and drug detox facility drug and alcohol rehabilitation program which handled methadone dependence and addiction treatment professionals do everything they can to help relieve withdrawal symptoms and make certain methadone detoxification is a safe course of action. There aren't any real health hazards linked to methadone detoxification if the individual is in good health, however this isn't always the case. Poor health due to drug or alcohol use could make methadone detoxification risky, which is another reason folks should undergo methadone detoxification within a specialist facility.