Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help someone who may not have been able to be helped during the past, end drug abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that could have triggered and led to their substance abuse problems. Establishing the fact someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but can also help clients better determine what led to their drug use and ways to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include proper medical support and also further treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the person must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality many people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.