Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone that may not have been capable of being helped previously, stop drug or alcohol abuse by being accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that may have triggered and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better know what caused their drug use and the way to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in a substantial aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support in addition to continued rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and actually many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.