Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone who may possibly not have been able to be helped in the past, finish drug abuse by being accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which could have prompted and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the truth that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but could also help clients better understand what caused their drug use and ways to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include proper medical support in addition to further treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will need to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.