Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone who may not have been able to be helped in the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which could have prompted and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better know what triggered their drug abuse and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might need to take part in a substantial aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support and also further rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual should be medicated through out their lives either, and in reality many people with a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.