Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help an individual who might possibly not have been capable of being helped before, put an end to drug abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which could have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better know what caused their drug abuse and the way to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program that might include proper medical support along with further rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual should be medicated through out their lives either, and in reality many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.