Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that may not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop substance abuse by being accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have triggered and led to their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better understand what caused their substance abuse and the way to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support and also continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.