Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone that might possibly not have been capable of being helped before, end drug abuse by being accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which may have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but will also help clients better determine what triggered their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis is often 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 might include appropriate medical support along with further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual will need to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.