Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help someone that may possibly not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better determine what caused their drug abuse and the way to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis may need to take part in a substantial aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support and also further rehab services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual should be medicated through out their lives either, and in reality many individuals who have a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.