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 may help someone who might possibly not have been able to be helped in the past, end drug or alcohol abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated that could have prompted and led to their substance abuse problems. Establishing the fact someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but will also help clients better determine what caused their drug abuse and how to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support as well as further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual should be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.