Lots of people don't understand this fully whenever they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription drug doesn't actually treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or used illegally, creates significant dependence which is much more severe than most other opiates including heroin. Due to this, individuals who wish to stop use of methadone will need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of treatment professionals. Those who have tried to stop methadone use on their own abruptly can tell you that this is almost impossible, and most relapse quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there's hope for many who need to get off of the drug completely. Within a drug and alcohol detox center alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility which deals with methadone dependence and addiction rehab experts do everything they can to help relieve withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is a safe course of action. There aren't any real health problems linked to methadone detoxification if the person is healthy, however, this isn't always the case. Illness as a result of drug abuse could make methadone detoxification dangerous, and is another reason people should undergo methadone detoxification within a specialist facility.