Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone who might not have been capable of being helped before, end drug or alcohol abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which could have triggered and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better understand what led to their substance abuse and the way to prevent it later on. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in a substantial aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support and also continued rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual must be medicated through out their lives either, and actually a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.