Many people don't understand this fully when they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription drug doesn't in fact treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or abused illicitly, creates significant dependence which is far more extreme than other opiates like heroin. For this reason, individuals who would like to stop use of methadone will have to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of rehabilitation specialists. Those who have attempted to stop methadone use by themselves abruptly can advise you that this is virtually impossible, and many relapse in a short time. With expert methadone detoxification, there's hope for individuals who would like to abstain from the drug forever. Within a drug and alcohol detox facility alcohol and drug treatment center which treats methadone dependency and addiction treatment specialists do everything they can to relieve withdrawal symptoms and make certain methadone detoxification is a safe course of action. There won't be any real health problems linked to methadone detoxification if the individual is healthy, however, this isn't always true. Illness due to drug abuse may make methadone detoxification risky, and is another reason folks should undergo methadone detoxification within a professional setting.