Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone who may possibly not have been able to be helped previously, finish substance abuse by being properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the reality that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but can also help clients better understand what caused their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which may include appropriate medical support in addition to continued rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the person will need to be medicated for the rest 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.