Lots of people don't understand this fully when they begin a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription medicine doesn't in fact treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or used illicitly, produces significant dependence which is way more extreme than other opiates such as heroin. For that reason, individuals who want to stop use of methadone will likely need to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of treatment specialists. Anyone who has tried to stop methadone use independently abruptly can tell you that this is almost impossible, and many relapse very quickly. With professional methadone detoxification, there is certainly hope for individuals who wish to get off of the drug once and for all. Within a drug and alcohol detoxification center drug and alcohol treatment program which treats methadone dependency and addiction rehab professionals work tirelessly to help relieve withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is a safe process. There are no real health risks related to methadone detoxification if the person is in good health, however this isn't always true. Bad health because of drug abuse might make methadone detoxification risky, which is one more reason individuals should undergo methadone detoxification in a specialist facility.