Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help an individual who may not have been able to be helped during the past, finish drug or alcohol abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which may have triggered and led to their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an efficient treatment course for them, but could also help clients better determine what led to their drug abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in a substantial aftercare program which can include proper medical support as well as continued treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person must be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.