Dual diagnosis is a situation in which 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 possibly not have been able to be helped before, finish drug or alcohol abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that could have triggered and led to their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better understand what caused their substance abuse and how to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than 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 as well as continued treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will have to be medicated through out their lives either, and in reality many people with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.