Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone that might not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop drug abuse by being properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that could have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the truth that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but could also help clients better determine what triggered their substance abuse and how to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which may include appropriate medical support along with continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and actually many people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.