A lot of people don't understand this fully when they commence a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription drug doesn't in fact treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or abused illicitly, creates significant dependence which is way more extreme than most other opiates including heroin. For this reason, individuals who want to stop use of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of rehab professionals. Whoever has attempted to stop methadone use independently abruptly can tell you that this is virtually impossible, and many relapse rapidly. With professional methadone detoxification, there is certainly hope for many who desire to abstain from the drug for good. Inside a drug detoxification program alcohol and drug rehabilitation program which handled methadone dependency and addiction rehabilitation professionals do everything they can to ease withdrawal symptoms and make certain methadone detoxification is a safe process. There are no real health risks associated with methadone detoxification in the event the individual is in good health, but this isn't always the case. Poor health as a consequence of substance abuse may make methadone detoxification risky, and is another reason individuals should undergo methadone detoxification within a professional setting.