Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help a person that may possibly 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, undiagnosed, or mistreated that could have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better know what led to their drug use and how to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis might need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which may include appropriate medical support and also continued treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the individual must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality many people with a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.