Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help a person that might not have been capable of being helped before, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an efficient treatment course for them, but may also help clients better determine what caused their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in a substantial aftercare program which can include proper medical support as well as further rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and actually many people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.