Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help an individual who may not have been able to be helped during the past, stop substance abuse by being accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that could have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the truth that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective course of treatment for them, but could also help clients better know what led to their substance abuse and the way to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which might include proper medical support along with further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual should be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.