Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help an individual who might not have been able to be helped previously, put an end to substance abuse by being accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated that could have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the reality that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better know what caused their substance abuse and how to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which may include proper medical support in addition to further rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will have to be medicated through out their lives either, and actually a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.