Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone that might not have been capable of being helped in the past, put an end to drug or alcohol abuse by being accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated that could have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse problems. Establishing the fact someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but will also help clients better know what caused their drug use and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support as well as further rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the person must be medicated through out their lives either, and in reality many people with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.