Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help a person that may not have been able to be helped in the past, stop substance abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that may have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but will also help clients better understand what triggered their drug abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in a substantial aftercare program which might include proper medical support along with continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual should be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality many individuals who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.