Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone who may not have been capable of being helped in the past, finish drug abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which could have prompted and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better determine what caused their substance abuse and how to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program which may include proper medical support and also further treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will have to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.