Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone who might possibly not have been capable of being helped before, put an end to substance abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which could have triggered and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the fact someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but will also help clients better know what caused their substance abuse and the way to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support as well as continued rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person should be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.