Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help an individual who might not have been capable of being helped in the past, put an end to drug or alcohol abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better know what triggered their substance abuse and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in a substantial aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support and also further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will have to be medicated through out their lives either, and in reality many individuals who have a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.