Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone who may possibly not have been capable of being helped during the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which could have prompted and led to their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but can also help clients better know what caused their drug abuse and how to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include proper medical support as well as further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the individual must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.