Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help an individual who may possibly not have been able to be helped before, finish drug abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and led to their drug abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective course of treatment for them, but will also help clients better know what caused their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include proper medical support and also continued rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and actually many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.