Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help an individual who might not have been capable of being helped in the past, end substance abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which could have triggered and led to their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better understand what caused their substance abuse and how to prevent it later on. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support along with continued rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.