Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help an individual who might possibly not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop substance abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which could have triggered and resulted in their drug abuse problems. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better understand what led to their drug use and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support and also further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.