Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help a person that might possibly not have been able to be helped before, stop drug abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which could have triggered and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but may also help clients better know what caused their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support and also continued treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the person should be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact many people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.