Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone that might not have been able to be helped during the past, end drug abuse by being properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that may have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better know what led to their drug use and ways to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might need to take part in a substantial aftercare program which may include proper medical support as well as further treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual should be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality many people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.