Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone who may not have been able to be helped before, finish drug abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that may have prompted and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better understand what led to their drug use and how to prevent it later on. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include proper medical support along with continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality many people with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.