Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone who may not have been able to be helped before, stop substance abuse by being properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated that could have prompted and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an efficient treatment course for them, but will also help clients better determine what led to their substance abuse and the way to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which may include proper medical support and also further treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually many people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.