Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help someone that may not have been capable of being helped before, end drug or alcohol abuse by being accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better know what caused their substance abuse and the way to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis might need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which may include appropriate medical support as well as continued treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.