Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help an individual who may not have been able to be helped previously, stop substance abuse by being accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that may have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse problems. Establishing the truth that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better know what led to their drug use and the way to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in a substantial aftercare program that might include proper medical support along with continued treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual should be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact many people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.