Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help someone that may possibly not have been capable of being helped before, end substance abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that could have triggered and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective course of treatment for them, but could also help clients better know what caused their substance abuse and how to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support in addition to continued rehab services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will have to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.