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 might help someone who may not have been capable of being helped previously, end drug abuse by being properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that may have prompted and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better determine what triggered their drug use and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support in addition to continued rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the person should be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.