Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone that might possibly not have been able to be helped during the past, put an end to substance abuse by being properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which could have prompted and led to their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective treatment plan 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 might be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which may include appropriate medical support and also continued treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact many people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.