Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help a person that might possibly not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop substance abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which could have triggered and led to their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but will also help clients better understand what led to their substance abuse and the way to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support in addition to continued treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.