Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone who may not have been capable of being helped before, end substance abuse by being accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which may have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but may also help clients better know what caused their substance abuse and the way to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which may include proper medical support along with continued rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual should be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.