Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone who might possibly not have been able to be helped previously, put an end to drug or alcohol abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which could have triggered and led to their drug abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but can also help clients better determine what led to their drug use and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis might be required to take part in an extensive aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support as well as continued rehab services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will need to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact many people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.