Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help a person that may not have been able to be helped previously, put an end to drug abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that could have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but can also help clients better determine what caused their drug abuse 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 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 imply that the individual must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.