Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help a person that might possibly not have been capable of being helped during the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that could have triggered and resulted in their substance abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better understand what caused their drug use and ways to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support in addition to continued rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.