Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that might not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop drug abuse by being properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which could have triggered and led to their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better know what triggered their substance abuse and how to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might be required to take part in a substantial aftercare program which may include proper medical support in addition to further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will need to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.