Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone that may possibly not have been capable of being helped in the past, end drug or alcohol abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which could have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better understand what triggered their drug abuse and how to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which can include proper medical support in addition to continued treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.