Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help someone who might not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which may have triggered and led to their substance abuse problems. Establishing the truth that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better determine what caused their drug use and how to prevent it later on. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which may include proper medical support as well as continued rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the person will have to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.