Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which 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 that might not have been able to be helped before, put an end to drug abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that could have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but can also help clients better determine what led to their substance abuse and ways to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support as well as continued treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will need to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.