Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help an individual who might not have been able to be helped in the past, put an end to drug or alcohol abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which could have triggered and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the truth that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better know what triggered their drug abuse and the way to prevent it in the foreseeable future. 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 an extensive aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support in addition to further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.