Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help an individual who may possibly not have been able to be helped in the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which could have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the reality that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but can also help clients better understand what triggered their drug abuse and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which may include proper medical support and also further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual should be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.