Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that might not have been capable of being helped during the past, finish drug or alcohol abuse by being properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better determine what caused their substance abuse and the way to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis might need to take part in a substantial aftercare program that might include proper medical support and also continued treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will have to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.