Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that may not have been capable of being helped previously, end drug or alcohol abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that could have triggered and resulted in their drug abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better determine what caused their drug use and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. 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 participate in a substantial aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support along with continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.