Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help a person that might possibly not have been capable of being helped in the past, end drug abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which could have prompted and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the fact someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better know what triggered their substance abuse and ways to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support along with continued rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will need to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.