Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help an individual who might possibly not have been able to be helped before, end drug or alcohol abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which could have triggered and led to their drug abuse problems. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but will also help clients better understand what caused their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis might be required to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support as well as continued treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.