Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help an individual who may not have been capable of being helped during the past, stop drug abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that could have triggered and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better understand what led to their drug use and ways to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support in addition to continued treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.