A lot of people don't understand this fully once they start a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription drug doesn't actually effectively resolve opiate addiction. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or abused illicitly, produces considerable dependence which is much more severe than most other opiates including heroin. Because of this, individuals who would like to stop use of methadone will need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of rehab professionals. Anyone who has attempted to stop methadone use independently abruptly can advise you that this is almost impossible, and many relapse rapidly. With professional methadone detoxification, there is hope for individuals who need to get off of the drug for good. Inside a drug detox program drug rehabilitation program which treats methadone dependence and addiction rehabilitation specialists do everything they can to help ease withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is really a safe process. There won't be any real health hazards connected with methadone detoxification when the individual is in good health, but this isn't always true. Poor health because of drug or alcohol use could make methadone detoxification dangerous, and is another reason individuals should undergo methadone detoxification in a specialist setting.