Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help someone who may possibly not have been able to be helped in the past, end drug or alcohol abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and led to their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but can also help clients better understand what caused their drug use and the way to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support as well as continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual must be medicated through out their lives either, and actually lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.