Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help someone who might not have been capable of being helped in the past, finish drug abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that may have triggered and led to their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but can also help clients better know what led to their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which might include proper medical support along with continued rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual should be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually many individuals who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.