Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone who might possibly not have been able to be helped in the past, end drug or alcohol abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that could have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but may also help clients better know what led to their substance abuse and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support as well as continued rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person must be medicated through out their lives either, and in reality many people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.