Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone that might possibly not have been capable of being helped during the past, put an end to drug or alcohol abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an efficient treatment course for them, but will also help clients better know what led to their substance abuse and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support along with further rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the individual will have to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.