Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone that may not have been capable of being helped during the past, end drug abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that may have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the fact that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but will also help clients better determine what led to their drug abuse and ways to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support along with further rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will need to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.