Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help an individual who may not have been capable of being helped previously, stop drug or alcohol abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that could have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but can also help clients better understand what caused their drug use and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis might 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 which might include appropriate medical support in addition to further treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.