Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help an individual who might not have been capable of being helped during the past, put an end to substance abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which may have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but could also help clients better determine what led to their drug use and the way to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which might include proper medical support and also further rehab services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.