Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that may possibly not have been able to be helped in the past, end substance abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which could have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better know what triggered their drug abuse and ways to prevent it later on. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support as well as continued rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.