Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help an individual who may not have been able to be helped before, stop substance abuse by being properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which could have triggered and led to their substance abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better understand what caused their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support and also further rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact many people with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.