Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help an individual who may not have been capable of being helped previously, finish drug abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better determine what led to their drug use and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program that might include proper medical support in addition to continued rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and in reality lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.