Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help someone who may not have been able to be helped in the past, stop substance abuse by being accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and led to their substance abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better know what led to their drug abuse and the way to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support and also further treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the individual must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.