A lot of people don't understand this completely when they commence a methadone maintenance program, but methadone as a prescription medication doesn't actually effectively resolve opiate addiction. Methadone, whether included in an opiate maintenance program or abused illegally, creates significant dependence which is much 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. Anyone who has attempted to stop methadone use by themselves abruptly can tell you that this is practically impossible, and many relapse very quickly. With professional methadone detoxification, there is hope for many who would like to get off of the drug forever. Within a drug detoxification facility alcohol and drug treatment center which treats methadone dependency and addiction treatment professionals do everything they can to help ease withdrawal symptoms and make sure methadone detoxification is really a safe course of action. There won't be any real health hazards related to methadone detoxification if the person is in good health, however this isn't always true. Illness as a consequence of substance abuse might make methadone detoxification risky, which is one more reason individuals should undergo methadone detoxification within a professional setting.