Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help a person that may not have been able to be helped in the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse by being accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that may have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but will also help clients better know what led to their drug abuse and how to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which may include proper medical support along with further treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.