Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone that might possibly not have been able to be helped in the past, finish substance abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that may have prompted and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but can also help clients better determine what led to their drug abuse and the way to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis might need to take part in an extensive aftercare program that might include proper medical support along with further treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person will have to be medicated through out their lives either, and actually many people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.