Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone who may not have been capable of being helped before, finish drug abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that may have prompted and led to their drug abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but can also help clients better understand what led to their drug abuse and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which may include proper medical support in addition to further rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.