Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone who might not have been able to be helped before, stop drug abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that may have prompted and led to their drug abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish a highly effective course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better understand what led to their drug use and how to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which can include proper medical support as well as continued rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual should be medicated through out their lives either, and in reality many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.