Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, 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 during the past, finish drug or alcohol abuse by being accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better understand what led to their substance abuse and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support along with further treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the individual must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually many people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.