Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help an individual who may possibly not have been able to be helped during the past, end substance abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but will also help clients better determine what led to their drug abuse and how to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis might need to take part in an extensive aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support in addition to further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.