Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help an individual who may possibly not have been able to be helped previously, finish drug abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that could have triggered and led to their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better understand what caused their drug use and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include proper medical support and also further treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will have to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.