Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help a person that may not have been capable of being helped before, end substance abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the reality that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but will also help clients better understand what caused their drug use and how to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis might need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support in addition to continued treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.