Many people don't understand this completely when they start a methadone maintenance program, but methadone being a prescription drug doesn't in fact treat opiate dependency. Methadone, whether used as part of an opiate maintenance program or abused illicitly, creates considerable dependence which is far more extreme than most other opiates including heroin. For that reason, individuals who would like to stop use of methadone will need to undergo methadone detoxification with the aid of treatment professionals. Anyone who has tried to stop methadone use independently abruptly can tell you that this is nearly impossible, and many relapse very quickly. With expert methadone detoxification, there's hope for those who need to get off of the drug completely. Within an alcohol and drug detoxification program drug rehab program which deals with methadone dependency and addiction treatment professionals do everything they can to ease withdrawal symptoms and make certain methadone detoxification is a safe process. There aren't any real health problems related to methadone detoxification in the event the person is healthy, but this isn't always true. Illness due to substance abuse may make methadone detoxification dangerous, and is one more reason folks should undergo methadone detoxification inside a professional setting.