Dual diagnosis is 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 will help someone that might possibly not have been able to be helped before, end substance abuse by being properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that could have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but will also help clients better understand what led to their substance abuse and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include proper medical support and also continued treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.