Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help a person that might possibly not have been capable of being helped in the past, put an end to drug abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that may have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but could also help clients better determine what caused their substance abuse and how to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in a substantial aftercare program which might include proper medical support in addition to continued treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.