Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone who may not have been capable of being helped during the past, end drug or alcohol abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which may have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse problems. Establishing the fact someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better know what triggered their drug use and how to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which can include proper medical support as well as continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.