Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone that may possibly not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop substance abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better determine what caused their drug abuse and the way to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include proper medical support along with further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.