Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help a person that may not have been able to be helped previously, stop drug abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that may have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better know what caused their drug abuse and ways to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis might be required to take part in an extensive aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support as well as further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the person must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.