Many individuals don't realize this completely once they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription medicine doesn't actually effectively resolve opiate addiction. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or abused illicitly, produces significant dependence which is much more severe than other opiates like heroin. For that reason, individuals who wish to stop use of methadone will need to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of rehabilitation specialists. Anyone who has tried to stop methadone use on their own cold turkey can tell you that this is almost impossible, and many relapse quickly. With professional methadone detoxification, there's hope for those who desire to abstain from the drug once and for all. Within a drug detoxification center drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility which treats methadone dependence and addiction rehabilitation professionals do everything they can to ease withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is really a safe process. There aren't any real health risks connected with methadone detoxification if the individual is in good health, however, this isn't always the case. Bad health because of substance abuse could make methadone detoxification dangerous, which is another reason individuals should undergo methadone detoxification within a specialist setting.