Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help a person that may possibly not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop 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 that may have prompted and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but can also help clients better know what led to their substance abuse and the way to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support along with continued treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually many people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.