Lots of people don't understand this completely when they start a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription drug doesn't actually treat opiate addiction. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or abused illicitly, creates significant dependence which is way more extreme than most other opiates like heroin. Because of this, individuals who want to get off of methadone will need to undergo methadone detoxification with the help of treatment professionals. Individuals who have attempted to stop methadone use independently cold turkey can tell you that this is practically impossible, and most relapse in a short time. With expert methadone detoxification, there is certainly hope for many who need to abstain from the drug once and for all. Within a drug detox program drug and alcohol rehab center which treats methadone dependency and addiction rehabilitation experts do everything they can to help relieve withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is really a safe process. There won't be any real health threats associated with methadone detoxification when the individual is in good health, however, this isn't always the case. Poor health as a result of drug abuse might make methadone detoxification dangerous, and is one more reason individuals should undergo methadone detoxification in a specialist setting.