Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone who might not have been capable of being helped in the past, end drug or alcohol abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which could have triggered and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but can also help clients better determine what led to their drug abuse and the way to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support and also continued treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the person will have to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.