A lot of people don't understand this completely whenever they start a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription medication doesn't actually effectively resolve opiate addiction. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or abused illicitly, creates significant dependence which is much more severe than other opiates like heroin. Because of this, individuals who want to stop use of methadone will need to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of rehabilitation specialists. Those who have attempted to stop methadone use on their own cold turkey can tell you that this is virtually impossible, and many relapse very quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there is hope for many who desire to get off of the drug forever. In a drug detox program alcohol and drug treatment center which treats methadone dependency and addiction rehab specialists work tirelessly to help ease withdrawal symptoms and make certain methadone detoxification is a safe course of action. There are no real health risks associated with methadone detoxification in the event the person is healthy, however this isn't always the case. Illness because of drug abuse could make methadone detoxification risky, which is another reason individuals should undergo methadone detoxification within a specialist setting.