Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most often describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone that might not have been able to be helped previously, end substance abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated that could have triggered and led to their drug abuse issues. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but could also help clients better know what caused their drug abuse and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support as well as further treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and actually many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.